War of Dimensions
by MaskedWriterofClosetPleasures
Summary: It's been five years. Five years since Yugi bid farewell to his dearest friend, the Pharaoh Atem, and helped prevent the return of the Shadow Games. Now, he lives humbly with his grandfather and his friends have moved on with their lives. However, when a new evil rises, will Yugi rise to defeat this evil or will he fall to a force more familiar than he care to admit.
1. Dark Tidings and Duel Tournaments

**Howdy all! This is one of my first fanfictions and I felt like it was best if it was with something that held a special place in my heart. The original Yu-Gi-Oh is forever a classic in my eyes and I wanted to capture the essence of that show within my writing. I hope you all enjoy this piece and look forward to the additional aspects that will come in the future. Depending on the response, I will put that much more effort into the future. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Solomon Muto whistled happily as the sun began to set behind the cityscape. In each arm he held giant bags of groceries. Solomon had always made a point to stock up in case of an emergency. You never know what is going to happen. Turning the corner, his eyes were by those of three suspicious looking individuals clad in mysterious clothing. Seeing this unnerved him and as a result he began to hasten his step.

"Solomon Muto…" one of the figures spoke as all three began to casually stroll towards him. His voice was so familiar to Solomon, eerily familiar.

"Yes?" Solomon replied uneasily, "What do you want?" Fear and doubt began to creep into his mind. He was but an old man now. Age had stripped away most of his defenses. As much as it pained him to admit he was powerless against the three figures who approached him.

"Why," the figure responded while firmly grasping Solomon's shoulder, "We just want to talk, old man." The other two quickly surrounded the old man as all three began to guide him to a nearby alley despite his cries of resistance. After a few moments of struggle, a scream echoed off the buildings.

* * *

It had been five years. Five years since he had bid farewell to the Pharaoh who, for most of their friendship, had been nameless. The brotherhood they shared had left unmistakable marks on each other's souls. The adventures, the trials, the horrors, and the laughter had molded Yugi into the young man he was today. Taller now, with a voice now surprisingly similar to his ancient departed friend's, Yugi stood confident as he dusted the shelves of his grandfather's game shop. His life was a peaceful one, quiet and tranquil, unlike his experience as the Pharaoh's vessel. However, that did little to change the fact that he still missed his friend.

In fact, he dueled less frequently now. Somehow some of the fun had been lost as a result of his experiences. All of those high stakes games where people got hurt had left its mark and while it didn't ruin the game completely it had dimmed his desires to play it. He was far more cautious now. He had grown absent from the professional dueling community after his last incident with Kaiba four years prior. Four years ago when he had been caught in yet another shadow game due to Kaiba's inability to let go. This after he was led to believe that he and the Pharaoh had prevented the return of the shadow games all together. A smirk grew across Yugi's face as he thought back to that day.

Kaiba had spent his resources recovering the Millennium Puzzle in a futile attempt to resurrect the great Pharaoh, Atem. It seemed as though Kaiba just couldn't let go of the rivalry he shared with Yugi's closest friend. The incident brought forth a strange enemy with an even stranger gift; a mysterious cube which gave him the power to travel across dimensions. The resulting duel would have destroyed Yugi were it not for the intervention of Atem. Again he found himself indebted to his friend who, shortly thereafter, disappeared with the Puzzle itself.

Yugi let out a deep sight as he slumped down behind the counter. Darkness creeped in as Yugi struggled to find the energy to turn on the shop's light. Deep down he had truly wished that Kaiba would have succeeded in resurrecting Atem but Yugi knew that he had to let his friend go. He knew in his heart that he had to find his own path which was part of the reason he withdrew from professional dueling. Despite all of this, he still held the title of King of Games. No one had challenged him in an attempt to strip that title from him. This was, in part, due to another tragic turn of events.

Shortly after the incident, Seto Kaiba disappeared. Nobody knew why and Mokuba, who had been named CEO of KaibaCorp in his absence, wasn't going to tell. It must hit too close to home for him. Without Seto to pioneer his new duel system it failed. Not only was the new technology expensive but the idea of one's energy defining the attack strength of a monster was deemed to susceptible to fraud. People liked concrete rules and quickly returned to their old duel disks and duel rules. Not that Yugi agreed with him, he felt that Kaiba's new system was an innovation that would have reinvigorated the game. Oh, well.

The ringing of his clock shook Yugi free of his imprisoning thoughts. Shock and worry began to emanate through his body as his eyes darted to the source of his interruption. It was midnight and darkness had long since fell over the town of Domino but this was not that what scared him. He had become so lost dwelling on the past he wasn't paying attention to the present and his grandfather had left to go purchase groceries. However, that was several hours ago and he should have been back by then. His thoughts were again disturbed as he was interrupted by a new noise; the ringing of his phone.

* * *

This was it. The final round of the Southern Regional Championship in Florida. Joey had travelled here to begin to make a name for himself as professional duelist. Despite his previous tournament placements, Mokuba had recommended that Joey win some smaller professional matches in order to boost his record before the next KaibaCorp tournament. Something about his brother's standards or whatever. He shrugged his shoulders as he placed his duel disk on his arm. He was good enough to meet "Rich Boy's" standards and he was going to prove it.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer's voice boomed as Joey could hear the audience cheer in anticipation, "We've come to our final match-up!" Joey giggled to himself as he hastened his step. He truly loved this part.

"Introducing first, our challenger!" the announcer continued, "This man is a rising star in the dueling world. In just six years he has attended some of the world's largest tournaments. Placing second in Duelist Kingdom and fourth in Battle City, a real rag to riches star, Joey Wheeler!" The crowd roared as the spotlight blinded him. He laughed heavily as he held his arms high in the air with a grin ten miles wide.

"That's right folks," Joey bellowed with his thick accent and arms waving, "Joey Wheeler's in the house!" After a few more moments of cheer the audience settled down, much to Joey's disappointment. It didn't matter. The crowds may give him rush but the only people he needed to root for him were the ones that mattered; his friends and family. He knew that somewhere, regardless of where they were, his friends were watching and cheering for him.

"Now introducing our defending champion!" the announcer began again as the hype in the stadium began to creep towards unmanageable levels, "this man is a local game enthusiast that has held this crown for the past seven seasons! Known for taking his opponents down piece by piece and saving his cards, I present to you the runner-up at the American nationals, Derek Lensherr!" The crowd boomed yet again as Joey's opponent stepped forward clad in a sharp suit with tightly cut, black hair. Joey couldn't help but roll his eyes. Great, another rich boy with a snobby attitude. Similarly, Derek found he was not impressed by the sight of his opponent with his messy, blonde hair and a simple t-shirt and jeans. Derek couldn't help but wonder how this buffoon was allowed to duel at all.

" _You're_ my opponent?" Derek spat in disbelief as the two approached each other at the center of the arena, " _you_ look like you should be begging for _my_ change." Joey felt his blood begin to boil as his suspicions had been confirmed; Derek _was_ just another snobby rich boy.

"We'll see who is begging who after I wipe the floor with ya!" Joey responded in kind as his duel disk snapped together. The announcer began to casually walk between the two of them as they traded and shuffled each other's decks.

"Gentlemen, this is an official match," he began to rattle off, "You will both start with four-thousand lifepoints and the first to hit zero loses. There will be no secondary match. Direct attacks on your opponent are allowed. Let's have a good, clean match."

"With him, I doubt anything is clean," Derek shot with a smirk as he handed back Joey's cards. Joey growled with anger. He couldn't wait to wipe that smug look off of Derek's face.

"Good luck," Derek added mockingly as the two paced away from each other. Yet another irritant crawled under Joey's already loose skin.

"Let's do this, punk," Joey roared as he turned around and both drew their cards. Both player's lifepoints flashed and grew, stopping only when they hit four-thousand.

"I'll start us off since I won the coin toss" Derek spat as he drew his first card with a smirk. Pulling two cards from his he hand, he slapped one face down on his duel disk before sliding one into the slots. In an instant, both cards materialized before him.

"I'll set one monster face down and place an additional card on the field," Derek announced before crossing his arms, "Let's see what you got, Monkey Boy!"

"Moneky boy?!" Joey screamed as he pulled his first card. If there was one thing he hated, it was being called "Monkey Boy" by snobby rich kids.

"I summon Marauding Captain to the field in attack mode," Joey began, slapped the card on his disk as his warrior materialized before him, "And I'll use his special ability to summon Little-Winguard to the field!" Slapping another card on his disk, he looked up with a smirk as both monsters stood with their sword's drawn. Joey felt pride wheeling within him because summoning two monsters at once was a great move. Once Joey dealt with Derek's facedown monster, his lifepoints would be wide open for a direct assault.

"Plus, I place one card facedown," he spoke again, sliding a third card into his disk, "Now, Marauding Captain, destroy his facedown monster!" Joey bellowed as his monster leapt into action. On one fluid motion his monster's sword slashed down through Derek's card as the image of a chanting, blue elf appeared in its place.

"Oh, no!" Joey cried as he realized what had just happened.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to attack my lifepoints _that_ easily," Derek mocked as Joey's lifepoints fell to thirty-two hundred," and you seriously call yourself a duelist?" Joey had messed up. His Marauding Captain only had twelve-hundred attack points where the Mystical Elf had two-thousand defense points, costing Joey eight hundred of his lifepoints. Luckily, the Mystical Elf only had eight hundred attack points. Joey grimaced as he looked at the card he placed on the field; Shield and Sword. He wouldn't be able to activate it until next turn but when he did it would decimate Derek's defense.

"I use my Little-Winguard's special ability and switch him to defense mode!" Joey called as he slid his card horizontally on his card on his duel disk, "then I end my turn." This way his lifepoints would be safe from harm in the event Derek summoned a stronger monster.

"That's your first turn?!" Derek roared with laughter as he drew his next card.

"Just go, tough guy," Joey spat back as he began to grind his teeth with frustration.

"Let me show you how a real duelist plays the game," Derek replied as he slapped another card on his duel disk, "I summon my Obnoxious Celtic Guard in attack mode!" The elven warrior appeared over his card, drawing his sword as he gripped it in his steely grasp. With an attack power of fourteen hundred he could do away with Joey's Marauding Captain with ease.

"Now, my Guard, rid the field of his petty officer!" Derek screamed as the two monsters charged each other with swords drawn. In a flurry of strikes, Joey's Marauding Captain let out a groan as the Celtic Guard's sword skewered his chest. Shortly thereafter, he shattered into a million pieces as Joey's lifepoints began to plummet down to three thousand. Joey grimaced as he watched his Marauding Captain fall. He had already allowed this punk to gain a one-thousand-point lead.

"I'll place two more cards face down, "Derek added as two more cards flashed onto the field, "and that is all for now."

"All right, now it's my turn to bring on the pain!" Joey bellowed as he drew his next card; the Blue-Flame Swordsman. This was the perfect monster to take out his foe's Guard but Derek had three cards facedown. Odds were that at least one of them was trap. Nobody bluffs with three cards. He needed a plan.

"First off, I activate my facedown card," Joey announced as he clicked a button on his duel disk, "Shield and Sword! Now all of our monster's attack points are switched with their defense points!" Joey pulled another card from his hand.

"Next, I'll switch my Little-Winguard back into attack mode and summon my Blue-Flame Swordsman!" Joey spoke firmly as his new warrior rose from his card. Joey grinned again. Since Blue-Flame Swordsman wasn't on the field when Shield and Sword was played he wasn't effected. Despite this, Derek still looked unfazed and that worried Joey. However, at this point, he had little choice.

"Blue-Flame Swordsman, attack his Celtic Guard!" Joey cried as his monster raced towards the Obnoxious Celtic Guard, who appeared to shift his bodyweight in anticipation of the blow.

"Not so fast, Wheeler, you've triggered my trap!" Derek bellowed as one his facedown cards rose. Joey's brow furrowed as he took note of exactly which trap had been triggered.

"My Sakuratsu Armor automatically destroys an attacking monster!" Derek added as a menacing piece of black armor materialized and raced towards the Blue-Flame Swordsman. With one punch to the gut, the Blue-Flame Swordsman shattered but at least Joey's lifepoints were safe.

"You want to try again with your other monster?" Derek mocked as he crossed his arms, "with these two babies facedown, I don't think you've got the guts." It was a tough call. Joey glanced up at his Little-Winguard. It was the only monster he had left guarding his lifepoints from a direct assault but unless he did something quick Derek would have too many monsters to content with.

"Little-Winguard destroy his Mystical Elf!" Joey cried as his monster leapt forth and sliced through Derek's elf, shattering her in a million pieces. Confused, Derek let out a howl.

"I forgot about your little Shield and Sword trick!" He screamed as he ran his hand through his hair, "this duel has been so boring I forgot you made that move so I didn't use my trap card!"

"Oh, well," Joey responded with a smirk, "Last but not least, I'll play this little baby face down and switch my Little-Winguard back to defense mode." Joey looked down at his facedown card, a personal favorite that had bailed him out many a time; Scapegoat. This way if Derek found a way past his monster he could bring up a wall of tokens to guard his lifepoints.

"Time for me to end you!" Derek bellowed as he slapped another card into his duel disk, "I activate Raigeki! Say goodbye to your Little-Winguard!" Above the two duelist a storm crowd grew as winds gushed through the arena. The crowd roared with excitement as a bolt of lightning shot down from the dark clouds and struck Joey's monster, shattering it as it let out a cry of pure agony.

"No!" Joey cried as he covered his face from the blast, "Now my lifepoints are wide open!"

"That's right and what better way to take you down," Derek spat as he slid another monster on his duel disk, "Than with another Obnoxious Celtic Guard" In an instant Joey found himself staring down the swords of two menacing looking warriors.

"Obnoxious Celtic Guard, attack this pathetic fool's lifepoints directly!" Derek cried as his Guard leapt into action, brandishing his large sword as he flew towards Joey.

"Not so fast, reveal facedown card; Scapegoat!" Joey cried as his card rose from the ground, glowing with blinding light as four small goats appeared to defend him. Instantly, one was sliced in two by the Obnoxious Celtic Guard.

"Now you can't touch my lifepoints!" Joey spat back with glee as Derek tightened his fist in frustration. In another instant, Joey's second scapegoat was history.

"Take your next pathetic turn," Derek finished as he fumed with frustration. Joey drew his next card but was disappointed not to pull a monster.

"Eh," Joey stuttered, "I place one card face down and end my turn!" He had to draw something better if he planned on turning this duel around. At least Derek's strongest monster only boasted fourteen-hundred attack points.

"If that's all, I'm going to be more disappointed than I already am!" Derek screamed as he drew another card, "Say goodbye to your last line of defense!" Derek's monsters charged forth, brandishing their sharp blades as they cut down Joey's remaining scapegoats. Now he was back to square one; defenseless.

"Next turn, you'll be able to get acquainted with my Guards up close and personal!" Derek boasted, placing his hands on his hips.

"We'll see about that," Joey responded as he drew a card, glancing at it for a few moments before sliding it into his duel disk, "I play Card of Sanctity! Now we both draw until we each have six cards in our hand!" Joey's hand hovered over his deck. He needed something now or his situation would go from bad to worse. Unlike Derek, however, Joey was sure he knew what real dueling was all about. It was about spirit and a belief in the heart of the cards. Pulling six cards from his deck, a smile beamed from his face as he pulled two cards from his new hand and slapped them on his duel disk.

"I summon Panther Warrior in attack mode and place one card face down!" Joey screamed as his new beast flew from his card, "Let's see what you got tough guy!"

"Very well," Derek responded firmly, "First, I activate my Pot of Greed magic card. This allows me to draw two more cards." Joey rolled his eyes. Everyone felt it necessary to explain one of the most overused magic cards in the entire game.

"Next I'll sacrifice my two Celtic Guards to summon my Machine King!" Derek announced as his two monsters morphed into bright spheres of light and merged to summon a huge mechanical monsters. Boasting twenty-three hundred attack points due to its special ability, it was more than a match for Joey's Panther Warrior. Joey glanced down at his two facedown cards, praying that Derek would be foolish enough to attack his monster.

"Now, Machine King, get rid of his pathetic Panther Warrior!" Derek bellowed as his monster fired it's rocket arms at Joey's Panther Warrior.

"You've triggered my trap, activate Skull Dice!" Joey screamed triumphantly as his card rose and spat out a red six-sided die. Joey and Derek looked on, nerves on edge, as the holographic dice bounced along the arena floor. Whatever number rolled, multiplied by one hundred, would by the number of attack points Machine Kind would lose. Finally, the dice slowed and eventually fell to rest on the number five.

"Yes!" Joey roared with the crowd, "Now your Machine King loses five hundred attack points! Panther Warrior destroy Machine King!" Joey's Panther Warrior appeared to slice through each of Machine King's arms, shattered them, before charging the body of the mechanical beast and slice it down the middle. Derek let out a howl as his lifepoints dropped to thirty-eight hundred. It wasn't about the lifepoints, however, it was about regaining control of the duel.

"You're not the only one who can play a trap card, Wheeler, reveal Rope of Life!" Derek responded as his card rose from the field, "This allows me to bring back my Machine King and give him an eight-hundred-point boost as long as I discard my entire hand!" A rope shot down through the very ground itself and appeared to pull the devastated monster back from the grave. It then stood before Joey, it's evil eyes glowing as its attack strength began to grow.

"I destroyed that thing once and I'll do it again," Joey spat back aggressively, wiping the sweat from his brow as he drew his next card, "but for now, I'll switch my Panther Warrior to defense mode!" Joey grimaced as he gazed at the menacing beast that now stood as the strongest monster in player. Sweat continued to build on his brow as he took a deep breath. This duel would be tough but as long as he believed in his deck he knew he would draw the monster he needed.

"Fantastic, Machine King destroy his Panther Warrior!" Derek screamed viciously as his monster shot it's arms forward again, this time meeting with and shattering Joey's Panther Warrior. Joey held his arm in front of his face as his last line of defense let out one last cry of defiance before shattering.

"Take your last turn, Wheeler, because my Machine King is strong enough to wipe you out in one strike!" Derek spat before letting out an almost inhuman cackled.

"We'll see about that!" Joey cried in defiance as his hand hovered over his deck. There was only one card with the power to turn the duel around and he had to draw it now. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the card from his deck. The arena, which but moments before had been deafening, now fell incredibly silent. This turn could define the duel.

"I summon Time Wizard in attack mode!" Joey screamed with a grin as he smashed his monster card onto his disk. One of his favorite monster's materialized in front of him, holding its signature time wand. Joey smiled warmly as he viewed his monster, a gift from one of his best friends before his first Duel Monsters tournament. This card had gotten him out of dire situations in the past, when the stakes of dueling was much higher than a mere title.

"You've got to be kidding me," Derek cried as he gazed at Joey's small beast, "you're gonna leave this up to chance."

"Worked for me in the past," Joey responded softly, "You see, this card was a gift from a close friend of mine. We've been through a lot, he and I, and share a bond more powerful than words can describe. Every time I play this card, I know he stands with me. That is what true dueling is about!"

"You're insane!" Derek spat back as he looked on nervously.

"Now, Time Wizard, Time Roulette go!" Joey added as the Time Wizard lifted its wand high in the air and an arrow within it began to spin. If it fell on a skull, Joey's Time Wizard would self-destruct and take a chunk out of Joey's lifepoints not to mention leaving him open to a fatal assault. The crowd clung to the edge of their seats as the arrow spun around, slowing down until it ultimately fell. The crowd bellowed with excitement as a huge grin grew across Joey's face.

"Time magic, go!" Joey screamed triumphantly as the Time Wizard began to accelerate time, reducing Derek's Machine King to dust. As the dust began to settle, the sight on the field was clear. Derek sat with nothing and Joey had his Time Wizard.

"No way!" Derek muttered as he looked on with awe, "That's impossible."

"Happens all the time when you're me," Joey chuckled before pointing squarely at Derek, "Time Wizard, attack his lifepoints directly!" With that, Joey's Time Wizard rushed forth clubbing Derek with his wand. Derek let out a groan of pain, bending over to grip his stomach as his lifepoints dropped to thirty-five hundred. He stood there, gripping his side before standing again and drawing his next card. A cold sweat fell upon him. He had discard his entire hand to revive his Machine King and in doing so had placed his complete faith in that one monster. Right now, all he held were magic and trap cards.

"I place one card face down and end my turn…" Derek muttered through grimaced teeth as he stared Joey down.

"Didn't draw what you need, oh well!" Joey spoke softly with a shrug as he drew his next card.

"Reveal face down card, Rock Bombardment," Derek bellowed, shocking Joey out of his complacency, "As long as I move one Rock-type monster from deck to my graveyard, we both lose five hundred points!" A huge pile of rocks generated over both players' head as Derek moved one card from his deck to his graveyard. Then, they came crashing down and bombarded the players with pain as each player's lifepoints plummeted. Joey was left standing with twenty-five hundred and Derek left with three-thousand. Joey let out a groan as he returned to his feet.

"Well, now that that's over, Time Wizard attack!" Joey announced as his Time Wizard again clubbed Derek, reducing him to twenty-five hundred. Both players were now even but Joey held an advantage.

"I'll place one card face down and its back to you!" Joey finished, slapping another card into his duel disk. The noise in the arena was almost unbearable. This duel was reaching its climax and audience was well aware of it. Joey could hardly hear himself think over the noise. Derek drew another card, hanging his head low in the realization that it was worthless to him. He now only held two worthless magic cards. Shaking his head, he waved to indicate his turn had ended.

"You don't have such a big mouth no do ya!" Joey bellowed as he drew his next card, "Time Wizard attack him again!" Derek's lifepoints dropped now to two-thousand. He was circling the drain and he knew it. He glanced up in pain. Joey only had one monster with a mere five hundred attack points. Clearly, Joey had had similar luck when it came to drawing additional monsters no matter how happy he seemed. Any monster in Derek's deck could easily turn things back in his favor.

"I'm not done yet!" Derek screamed defiantly as he pulled another card and a grin now grew across his face. It was another Mystical Elf. He had no doubt that Joey would make the same mistake as he had earlier in the duel but this time it would cost him fifteen-hundred lifepoints.

"I place one monster facedown and end my turn!" Derek finished as a new card filled the empty gap and stood between him and Joey's Time Wizard. He tried his best to control his anxiety. He was desperate for Joey to call his attack.

"Very well," Joey responded as he drew his next card, "I gotta say, this just isn't your day."

"What?!" Derek cried as his heart began to drop, doubt creeping into his mind, "what did you draw?!"

"This, my Baby Dragon," Joey announced as his small dragon materialized on the field with a goofy roar. Derek felt a wave of relief wash over him. It wasn't strong enough to destroy his Mystical Elf and odds are Joey wasn't lucky enough to succeed on two Time Roulettes in the same duel.

"Next I'll play a little number called Polymerization," Joey roared as his two monsters were sucked into the magic card that rose on his field, "Fusing my two monsters to form Thousand Dragon!" Again, Derek felt his heart drop. With twenty-four hundred attack points, this beast would surely best his Mystical Elf. Things were getting worse for him by the second. He had to admit, Joey was an excellent duelist.

"Now, Thousand Dragon, destroy his facedown monster!" Joey cried as his beast let loose a powerful breath from its nostrils, obliterating Derek's Mystical Elf. Derek groaned as he shielded his face from the ferocious creature's breath and began to tremble as he looked up at it. Derek knew he had to rid the field of this beast or he wouldn't stand a chance. Drawing his next card, he let out a sigh. It wasn't going to be the best move but it was the only one he could muster.

"I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in defense mode," Derek screamed, "and then I'll play my magic card Mystic Box!" Joey cried out in horror as he watched Beta jump into the box and get skewered. He had seen Yugi used this card many times in the past and despite the fact that its rules had changed slightly didn't change the fact that Joey was quite familiar with the card. His Thousand Dragon would be devastated but he would gain control of Derek's Beta the Magnet Warrior.

"You've given up your only defensive monster!" Joey cried out in confusion as Beta materialized on his side of the field.

"Beta isn't the strongest Magnet Warrior in my deck and I'm hoping to destroy him," Derek responded, "It is easier to deal with him than your Thousand Dragon!"

"How could you do that to your own monster!" Joey asked, more irritation welling up from inside.

"Because I had to, this way I preserve some chance of winning," Derek responded, his head hung low.

"That's low even for you, Derek," Joey spat, drawing his next card, "and now I'll teach you what happens for disrespecting your monster. Beta, attack his life points directly!" Derek looked on in horror as his own beast closed the gap and struck him across the chest. His chest felt like it was on fire as Derek let out a howl of pain and his lifepoints plummeted to three hundred. He panted, clutching his chest as Joey ended his turn.

"You'll pay for that…" Derek groaned as he drew his next card. How he loved being right. Gamma the Magnet Warrior had eighteen-hundred defense points and could easily stand up to his Alpha.

"I place one monster facedown and end my turn!" Derek announced as he let his arms hang at his sides. At this point, he was willing to let the duel play out however it was going to play out. Joey drew his next card and quickly placed it facedown.

"Beta, destroy his facedown monster!" Joey bellowed as his magnet warrior again sprang into action. Derek let out a cackle.

"I told you so, Beta can't destroy Gamma!" Derek screamed as his monster materialized with its arms crossed.

"I disagree, reveal Graceful Dice!" Joey responded defiantly.

"No way!" Derek roared as another holographic dice danced on the arena floor, this one green. Finally, it landed on a four. Derek let out a roar as his monster fell.

"Maybe you shouldn't have given up on your monsters so easily," Joey spat as Derek drew his next card. Then, a chill ran down his spine as a grin spread across Derek's face.

"Or not, I summon the Skilled Dark Magician in Attack mode!" Derek responded angrily as his beast materialized, "With nineteen-hundred attack points you don't stand a chance!"

"Actually, I just won this duel," Joey rebutted quietly, pointing at his facedown card, "Did you forget about this card, I played it a few turns ago." Derek watched in horror again as the card rose to reveal Bottomless Trap Hole.

"No!" he screamed as his Skilled Dark Magician vanished from existence. After a few moments of silence, he hung his head low.

"Just finish it…" Derek whispered, his head hung low with shame. How could he have lost to such an inferior looking person. Perhaps there was more to duelists than just the way they dress.

"Very well, Beta," Joey screamed, "Wipe out the rest of his lifepoints!" The creature flew forward, gutting Derek who fell to his knees as his lifepoints hit zero. At this time the crowd went berserk, bellowing their cries of approval and excitement.

"There you have it folks!" the announcer's voice boomed, "Our new champion, and our representative to the American National Tournament; Joey Wheeler!" The crowd continued to cheer as Joey walk towards Derek extending his hand.

"Hey, you fought well, "Joey spoke softly and sincerely, "that was a tough duel."

"What?" Derek responded, gripping Joey's hand weakly, "How can you be so nice after the way I was acting?"

"Tempers flare during duels, "Joey answered with a chuckle, rubbing his nose, "What happens in the arena shouldn't impact what happens outside the arena."

"Thank you and congratulations," Derek spoke with a smile. The two duelist turned and faced their cheering crowd. They had given them exactly what they wanted; an excellent duel. Joey couldn't believe it. He was climbing the ranks faster than they could put them up. He was one the fast track to becoming one of the best duelists in the world. He got to play the game he loved and he got paid to do it. The night quickly passed as the fans began to drain from the stadium Finally, he was left alone in the arena standing in his spot of triumph. He was interrupted by the vibrations of his cell phone and tilted his head as he realized it was an unknown number. Normally, he didn't take such calls but something in his gut told him to take this one.

"Hello?" he asked tentatively, hoping this wasn't another prank call or a crazed fan.

"Joey Wheeler?" a female voice responded on the other end, "It's me, Rebecca."

"Rebecca?" Joey muttered, his mind drawing a complete blank. Then after a few moments of mind digging, it finally came back to him.

"You mean that bratty girl with the teddy bear?" Joey spat out without thinking. A frustrated sigh flew through the phone.

"Yeah…that one…listen I have terrible news. Yugi's grandpa is in the hospital and it doesn't look good," the voice added, her tone carrying with it the weight of its message. Joey felt his heart begin to sink. Solomon Muto was getting old but he had been a friend to Joey for years, and he taught Joey all he knew about duel monsters. Joey wouldn't be where he was today without him. Not to mention, he was Yugi's grandfather.

"What?" Joey cried in disbelief, "What happened?"

"I don't know but my grandfather and I are flying out tonight and I was hoping you could spread the news," Rebecca continued, her voice soft and steady.

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm on it and I'll be there as soon as possible," Joey responded, swiftly walking from the arena. His victory was now the furthest thing from his mind.

"Thanks Joey," Rebecca muttered.

"No problem, you take care of Yugi!" Joey responded.

"I will, and by the way Joey?" Rebecca spoke, her voice lifting slightly. This led to Joey being slightly confused.

"Yeah?" he asked, pondering why she was still on the phone.

"Congrats on the win, looks like you'll be in my neck of the woods," Rebecca responded, "Don't expect me to go easy on you because you are friends with Yugi" On the other side of the country, a young woman hung up the phone and gazed out the window of her car. The years had passed quickly for her to. She reached into her shirt and pulled out her necklace which contained one her most valued possessions. The necklace clicked open as a single card fell out. Her favorite. The Ties of Friendship.

"Don't worry, Yugi," she muttered as she gripped the card, "Your friends are on their way…"

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed the duel and trust me when I say the plot is about to thicken.**


	2. Friendly Games and Unfriendly People

The room was dark, cold and quite desolate. The only source of life that emanated from it was the rhythmic sounds of the machines that were monitoring Solomon's vitals. Above him stood a worn Yugi, the evidence of strife painted across his face. Silently he watched over his grandfather with his head hung low. He became lost in the deafening silence that choked his very breath. His grandfather seemed so peaceful, silent and still. It only added to the guilt which had begun to weigh down Yugi's heart.

"How could I have let this happen?" Yugi whispered mournfully as he grasped his grandfather's hand. His fingers were like ice in his. The doctors had detected something foreign in his bloodstream but had been unable to identify it. It had already been two days and his grandfather had failed to improve. Tears began to bleed from Yugi's eyes as a new wave of guilt flushed over him. There had been no reason for him to have let his grandfather leave for the store alone. Had he gone with him, his grandfather may have avoided his fate.

"Mister Muto?" a nurse called softly from the door. She was dressed in pink scrubs, with a face that bore the wounds of endless shifts and long night. Yugi shifted slightly. He had to regain his composure.

"You have a visitor," the nurse finished gingerly. She stood silently waiting for a response. Yugi's mind began to race. His grandfather had only been in the hospital for two days and in the pandemonium Yugi had failed to notify _anyone._ So who could possibly be visiting?

"Uhm, yeah, send them in…" Yugi mutter, wiping the tears from his eyes as his gaze shifted to the door. A few moments later an elderly gentleman sporting a simple suit walked in. Yugi recognized the man almost instantly.

"Professor Hawkins," Yugi finally spoke, bowing his head respectfully, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm terribly sorry to have intruded," Professor Hawkins responded softly, removing his hat as he held it in his hands, "but when Solomon failed to attend our weekly game, I called the hospital and they filled me in." Of course. Yugi felt slightly embarrassed that he could have overlooked such an obvious fact. KaibaCorp had released an online version of Duel Monsters that could be played from any computer. This allowed for duelists to enjoy the game from anywhere in the world. Professor Hawkins and Yugi's grandfather used it almost religiously. They were best friends after all. Professor Hawkins was even listed as one of Solomon's emergency contacts.

"Oh, it isn't an intrustion, Professor. I'm sure he'd be glad you were here," Yugi replied enthusiastically, throwing on the best smile he could muster. Professor Hawkins' eyes darkened as he gazed down at his friend.

"How is he?" Arthur asked softly as he approached the bedside. It pained him greatly to see his closest friend in such dire condition. In background, the steady beeping of his heart rate monitor continued.

"No change…" Yugi muttered dejectedly, "this is all my fault…"

"Yugi, you mustn't think that way," Arthur responded sincerely, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder, "There wasn't anything you could have done and I'm sure Solomon wouldn't want you to blame yourself." It was at this moment that Arthur really took a closure look at Yugi. It was evident that Yugi had gotten very little rest. His clothes were old and clearly dirty and his face looked battered by despair. He truly looked as though he were in dreadful condition.

"When's the last time you got any rest?" Arthur added, his brow furrowed with concern as he gazed upon the battered young man. Yugi shrugged his shoulders, finally taking into an account his level of exhaustion. He hadn't slept since he got the call from the hospital. How could he go home while his grandfather was fighting for his very life? His silence was all the answer Arthur needed.

"Yugi, you should go home and get some rest," Arthur spoke softly, taking a seat next to Solomon, "I'll watch over Solomon."

"How can I abandon him when he's like this?" Yugi spat back as he tore his eyes from Professor Hawkins'.

"You aren't abandoning him, Yugi," Arthur replied with a weak smile, "Your grandfather loves you very much and it would horrify him to see you in such a state. Now I promise not to leave his side but you really should get some rest." Yugi lowered his head. Deep down he knew he couldn't keep dragging himself through the ringer but he also knew he couldn't abandon his grandfather.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I just can't do that," Yugi finally spoked as he looked back up at the Professor. One look into his eyes was all Arthur needed to see that Yugi was serious.

"Then at least go get something to eat," Arthur replied, giving in to the idea that Yugi wasn't going to leave the hospital, "Rebecca is out parking the car and should be downstairs shortly,"

"Bu- "Yugi began but was quickly cut off.

"No arguments, Yugi," Arthur spoke forcefully, "You need to eat." Yugi finally relented and with a few more soft words, found himself walking down the busy hospital corridor. Despite all of the activity, Yugi never felt more alone and more isolated. His footsteps echoed off the walls as he got closer to elevator. Concern and guilt hung over his head like a cloud. There seemed to be no escape.

Rebecca raced towards the entrance, a whirlwind of emotion fogging her mind. She was excited to see Yugi again, worried about Solomon, frustrated that she had been forced to park so far away, and felt guilty over being thankful for the opportunity to see Yugi again despite the horrifying circumstances. The doors seemed to drift further from her reach despite her heightened pace as she began to recount her experiences with Yugi.

He was her closest friend. Even when she had been cruel to him and slandered his name he responded with kindness and friendship. It was a friendship she clung on to and one that changed her life fundamentally. That was the day he gave her _The Ties of Friendship_ , a one of a kind card that was essentially useless in the game but one that had earned a treasured place in her heart. He was so charming and nice, an individual you treasure. He was even so polite to put up with her overbearing attitude the next time they met.

Rebecca shuddered at the thought of what had been her next adventure with Yugi. The one where Yugi had been stolen from her by the _Seal of Orichalchos_. Those had been dark days and she could still remember the aching gape in her heart when she learned of his fate, as well as the burning hatred for the Pharaoh that had been responsible. She had been desperate to rescue him, desperate to get him back in her life. A dark cloud hung over her until she finally saw his smile again because despite the cruel fate life had dealt him, his soul still hung bright.

A new smile grew on Rebecca's face as she thought about just how bright his soul was and how deep his well of kindness was. He had even been nice when she slaved under the delusion of being in a relationship with him. Not that she would have minded but at the time she was far too young and immature for him. She was just a kid. No longer. She was an elegant and ingenious woman who was proud to call Yugi Muto her friend. Finally, she reached the doors which opened automatically upon sensing her presence. That was when she finally saw him, exiting the elevator. There he was, her best friend. The one that had stood by her even when she was just an annoying little brat with a teddy bear. She tried her best to contain her excitement but fell short as she ran towards him.

"Yugi!" She cried as he turned to her in shock, her face albeit happy still held vast amounts of worry as she embraced him, "I'm so sorry about your Grandpa, is he ok?" After shaking off the initial shock, he returned the embrace. He was thankful that he had grown and that they had ended up being the same height, otherwise he would have been crushed by her enthusiastic hug. He also found her presence soothing. It was wonderful having an old friend around.

"Not good but at least he's stable, "Yugi replied, his spirits lifting a little higher, "it's good to see you, Rebecca!"

"It's good to see you too!" Rebecca spoke, smiling brightly as she gazed into his eyes. For a moment, she was almost disappointed at the fact that the rest of Yugi's friends were coming. She would have preferred if it had just been the two of them. Then a wave of guilt washed over her as she scorned herself for having such thoughts.

"And not to worry, I already called Joey and he got the word out," Rebecca said with a smile as she wrapped around Yugi's arm, "He, Tea, and Tristan should be here soon!" Yugi's face distorted as a new thought jumped into his head.

"Joey!" he cried as he ruffled his messy hair, "I forgot all about his duel! How did he do?"

"Well, it was really cut and dry for a few moments but you know Joey. Of course he won." Rebecca responded bubbly as she began to guide Yugi around. It was lovely being in his presence again and truthfully he was thankful for her too. For the first time in day, a light shone through the veil of darkness that had fallen on Yugi. His mind began to drift towards that light; the light of his friends.

"That's great," Yugi replied, beaming with joy, "he's really come a long way as duelist!" The two began to stroll towards the cafeteria, rambling on about old times and old friends. It was a pleasant escape from the reality of the situation and truly the best Yugi had felt since the ordeal started. Plus, the thought of his other close friends' imminent arrival only added to his optimism.

* * *

The plane ride could not have possibly been any longer. Joey scorned and cursed the airline as he darted to collect his luggage. Despite his exhaustion, he could not have been more alert. His buddy was in trouble and nothing was going to stand in his way. Tapping his foot impatiently, Joey stood with arms crossed in frustration as he waited for what seemed like eons to collect his luggage.

"Come on, already!" Joey cried as he clenched his fist. He failed to see how long it could take to unload a few _bags_ of clothing. He had left in such a rush; he hadn't packed much. In fact, he was still wearing the same clothes he wore the night of his tournament. He simply hadn't cared enough to change. It wasn't just anyone that was in trouble. It was _Yugi's Grandfather_. Not only had his Grandfather been an incredible teacher and mentor, he was his best friend's only living relative. If anything happened to him, he knew Yugi would be crushed. That was what he was here for.

Finally, after an eternity, the luggage began to pour out. Hastily, he moved forward and cut several people off leading to several outbursts from equally irritated passengers. He didn't care. Yugi had always had his back and if it wasn't for Yugi he wouldn't be where he was today. Joey knew that his friend had carried him through many dark times and many impossible situations. No matter what, Joey knew that Yugi would be there. Now it was his turn to be there for _him._

"Don't worry, Yuge," Joey whispered to himself as he threw his bag over his shoulder, "I'll be there soon." Exiting the airport, Joey noted with a frown the absence of available taxi's. He let out a frustrated groan as he began to walk deeper into the city. It was late at this point and the city seemed mysteriously devoid of life.

"How can there be no taxis available?" Joey grumbled as he stomped forward, "I tell ya I get no respect!" It was true. Despite his growing record as a duelist, he still hadn't rank high enough to get driven around like other duelists. The fact that he could have placed second in his first major tournament and still be low ranked baffled him but such things would just have to wait. Approaching a sharp turn he hastened his step. He had to get to Yugi. It took but a few moments for Joey to collide with something or someone after rounding the sharp corner.

"Hey!" he cried out from the ground as he massaged the bruised back of his head, "Watch it!" It was this moment that he became silent, gazing up at several mysterious individuals clad in bandanna's and masks. They looked like a regular couple of weirdos. In fact, they kind of reminded him of the Rare Hunters that had plagued Battle City a few years back. Joey shuddered as he recalled that experience. Unfortunately, he had a terrible record when it came to weirdos in dark alleys.

"Ah, Joey Wheeler," a figure standing in the middle spoke with voice that seemed eerily familiar to Joey. He knew he had heard that voice before but could fail to place.

"Listen, get out of my way," Joey growled, rising to his feet as he clenched his face, "I don't have time to deal with this!"

"We only want you to convey a message to Mister Muto for us," the figure spoke again, tilting his head mockingly as the other men began to surround Joey, "after all, it is about his Grandfather." Joey raised his arms defensively as the men approached him. He felt incredibly uneasy and trapped but it wasn't until they mentioned Solomon that he truly got angry.

"What?!" he roared, "What did you do to him?!"

"That isn't important," the figured responded calmly as he strolled into the alley, "What is important that you deliver a message to Mister Muto." Joey pondered the thought for a few moments before he reached his decision. There was no way he was going to a pawn for these people, no matter what they did.

"No dice," Joey muttered angrily, "Now are you going to get out of my way or do I have to barrel over you, tough guy." The figure let out a chilling laugh.

"Now, that isn't very polite but it is so like you, Joey," the figured laughed as he continued to walk, "How about a friendly wager? If I beat you in a duel you deliver my message and if you defeat me, I'll tell you what happened to Solomon Muto." Joey turned around to see that he was now completely surrounded by masked freaks. There appeared to be no exit. Unfortunately, he didn't have the best record for alley duels. Then again he wasn't an amateur either.

"Looks like I don't have much have choice," Joey grumbled, digging his duel disk out of his bag and slipping it on his arm, "You want some? Come get some!" Slapping his deck into his disk it slapped together as both player's lifepoints rose to four-thousand.

"I hope you realize what I mistake you've just made," the figure roar as he let out a howling laugh, "I'm going to tear you apart!"

* * *

The meal they had shared was lackluster at best as the two friends sat in the near empty kitchen cafeteria. They had lost themselves in conversation, catching up on the previous year's events. Yugi couldn't help but be impressed with all of Rebecca's accomplishments. Not only had she graduated at such a young age, she had already completed Master's programs at some of the largest universities in the world. She did all this while maintaining her status as a champion duelist and assisting her grandfather with her research.

"Actually, I might be moving here," Rebecca let out as she gulped down more of her ice water, "I actually got offered a job as the Technical Support Director at KaibaCorp. I guess Mokuba remembers when I saved the day by hacking all of their systems."

"That's great, Rebecca," Yugi responded with a cheerful grin, the sincerest one in days, "but what about your grandfather's research?" Rebecca shifted around slightly, gazing around the room while trying to find the right words.

"Well, I'm kinda through looking backwards. I mean the past is important and all but I want to start working on the future," Rebecca finally spoke with a beaming grin. Besides this also had the side effect of putting her closest to her best friend, one of her only close friends. Yugi stared into her eyes, his soul slightly rocked by the statement. It reminded him so much of his desire to find his new path as an individual and not as the Pharaoh's vessel. While that remained a huge part of who he was and his past was responsible for his future, he had to stop living in the past and move forward. Yugi shook himself free of the thought as he realized that hours had passed. He had enjoyed her company so much that all thoughts of his grandfather had melted away. While he felt a small pang of guilt for it, the escape was quite a relief.

"I better get back upstairs," Yugi muttered as his mood began to sour. Seeing Yugi's smile begin to fade was like an arrow to Rebecca's heart. He was her friend and she had to help him. Her mind raced as she searched for the proper words. It didn't take long; she was a genius after all.

"If something had happened my grandfather would have found us," Rebecca started softly, placing her hand on Yugi's forearm. He jumped slightly at their contact. She giggled with a warm smile. He was still the shy little guy who had taught her so much in such a small amount of time. A new thought entered her mind.

"How about a nice friendly duel?" Rebecca asked as she straightened herself in her chair, "No fate of the world, no shadow games, just two friends with a deck of cards and some duel disks." Yugi's brow furrowed. He felt a little more guilt at how much the idea appealed to him. It had been so long since he had actually played the game and to do so with no bigger power involved would be refreshing. Not to mention, both of them knew that Yugi's mind would fixate on the game. It was one of the great thing about him. Whenever he drew that first card, everything else would melt away. It might be the perfect escape. Despite the lack of sleep, he didn't feel tired. For the first time in a while, he felt energized.

"Sure!" Yugi finally responded, much to cheer of Rebecca, "but I'm afraid I don't have my duel disk with me,"

"That's fine, I've got two in the car. Do you have your deck?" Rebecca asked as she jumped up from her seat. Yugi patted the belt at his side. Years may have removed him from the game but he always held his deck with him. It was sort of a sick habit left over from all those shadow games. Whenever he carried the deck, it was almost as if he still carried Atem around with him. Both of their hearts were in those cards and in that way they were connected. He treasured them greatly.

"That's great! Meet me on the roof in ten minutes!" Rebecca cried as she darted happily from her seat, running to grab her duel disks from her car. Not only had she reunited with an old friend, she was about to duel with him. While Yugi watched her go, he felt another grin grow across his face. For the first time since that phone call, Yugi felt like everything was going to be okay.

* * *

"Since I'm the challenger, I'll make the first move," the figured spoke, hiding an evil grin behind his dark mask as he drew his first card. He drew two cards from his hand and held them in front of him.

"I place these two cards face down and end my turn," the figured announced as the two cards materialized in front of him, "Let's see what you've got, Champion." Joey scratched his head as he drew his first card. Whoever this guy was, he had played no monsters. That meant that Joey could attack his lifepoints with ease were it not for his two facedown cards. He must want Joey to attack. Either way, Joey couldn't pass up an opportunity to get an early lead.

"Alright! I'll start things off with my good friend, Marauding Captain!" Joey cried as he slapped the familiar beast on his duel disk. In an instant the field now contained his monster who drew its swords and held an attack posture.

"Next, I'll use his special ability," Joey continued as he pulled another card from his hand and slapped it on his disk, "To summon my Hyaburusa Knight in attack mode!" A bird-like warrior creature jumped from his card, taking its place next to his Marauding Captain. Joey scowled as he looked at the masked man. Hyaburusa Knight only had one thousand attack points, making him a pretty weak monster in comparison to other bests, but where its real power lay was in its special ability.

"Alright, stranger, time to teach you what happens when you mess with Joey Wheeler, "Joey roared as he pointed aggressively towards his opponent, "Marauding Captain, attack his lifepoints directly!" Unhesitant, the warrior sprang into action as it brandished both its sword, bringing them to bare on the mysterious individual.

"Sorry, but I activate my trap card, Draining Shield!" the hooded man cried angrily, as his trap card rose from the ground, "This converts every one of your monster's attack points into my lifepoints." The man grinned evilly from behind his mask as his lifepoint counter grew to fifty-two hundred. How he loved toying with this fool.

"Yeah, well, that won't stop my Hyaburusa Knight!" Joey bellowed as hit bird warrior slashed down through the masked man who let out a slight groan of pain. His lifepoint count lower to forty-two hundred, just two hundred points over the starting limit.

"Plus, due to my monster's special ability, it can attack you again!" Joey announced as his monster let loose another flurry of slashes, lowering the masked man's lifepoints to thirty-two hundred, "That's all for now folks."

"Very well," the figure spoke eerily softly as he drew his next card, "First, I activate my face down card; Pot of Greed." Joey's grin widened as the card rose from the ground.

"Ah, a bluff eh?" Joey taunted as he began to scratch his ear mockingly, "That's not gonna help you in the long run."

"Next, I summon my Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand in attack mode," the figure responded coolly as his new beast materialized on the field. Joey's draw dropped. The monster had twenty-one hundred attack points. How could he have summoned such a creature without making a sacrifice. There had to be a catch.

"Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand, destroyed his Hyaburusa Knight!" the figured announced as his Powerhand charged through Joey's Hyaburusa Knight. The Knight let out a huge groan of pain as it shattered from existence, dropping Joey's lifepoints to twenty-nine hundred.

"I'll finish by placing three cards face down," the figure continued as three new threats appeared before him. He seemed so calm and collected, it concerned Joey. Not only that but this freak had already taken a huge lead and with a monster sporting twenty-one hundred attack points, Joey was in trouble.

* * *

Yugi gazed out at the dark cityscape as a warm breeze blew through his spikey hair. He loved summer nights and this one was just perfect, with clear skies glittering with starlight. If his grandfather wasn't in such terrible condition, this would be pretty great. Yugi gazed out at the city lights, each one represented a person with a life, with hopes and dreams of their own. These were the people that he had protected. Silently, Yugi awaited the arrival of his friend.

"Hey Yugi!" Rebecca cried, panting as she barreled through the door of the roof sporting two duel disks, "I'm sorry I took so long but let's just assume that the elevator isn't working!" Yugi let out a hearty laugh.

"That's fine, Rebecca," He responded gingerly as he took a duel disk from her and strapped it into his arm. They traded decks and began to shuffle. Yugi could already feel the excitement and anticipation dripping into his mind. He truly adored this game.

"Now I might be a little rusty," Yugi added embarrassingly as he rubbed the back of his head. Rebecca couldn't help but giggle. He was such a charmer. That was probably why most people were drawn to him.

"Then maybe things will be even for once," Rebecca responded with a slight blush. She may be known in the dueling circles as overly confident and maybe a little hot headed but she knew that Yugi's dueling strategy was deadly.

"I guess we'll find out," Yugi spoke with a grin as they returned each other's decks and paced away from each other. Almost at the same time, they drew their cards as their duel disks snapped together. Yugi could feel the thrill begin to melt away any exhaustion as he gazed at his opening hand.

"You can go first, Rebecca," He added with a grin as he continued to admire his hand. It wasn't such a bad start.

"Why, thank you!" Rebecca responded with an equally large smile as she picked two cards from her opening hand. In an instant, her first card materialized and rose from the ground.

"I'll start things off by activating my Scapegoat magic card," she announced as four goats were summoned to the field, "and then I'll place one card face down."

"Nice move!" Yugi spoke as he drew his first card, "But I'm afraid it's not good enough. I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode!" His new creature leapt from his card donned in magical armor as it drew its large weapon. Sporting nineteen hundred attack points, it was quite an opening beast.

"Next, I'll use Breaker's special ability to destroy you face down card!" Yugi announced as his monster's sword began to glow. Charging forth, Breaker slashed down as a line of energy raced towards Rebecca's face down card and slashed it in two.

"Oh, no! My trap!" she cried as she gazed up at Yugi in awe. It appeared that he still had what it took to duel. Breaker the Magical Warrior's attack points sharply feel to sixteen-hundred.

"Breaker, attack her scapegoat!" Yugi cried as his beast sprang into action yet again, this time slicing Rebecca's first goat in two as it shattered. Her lifepoints, however, would remain untouched.

"Not taking it easy on me, eh Yugi?" Rebecca spoke coyly with a wink as she drew her next card. Unfortunately, she hadn't drawn the necessary components to complete her burn strategy but she had to do something. Otherwise, Yugi wouldn't give her the time she needed. She couldn't really afford to play her best cards early either. A premature play can lead to an overall defeat. Rebecca continued to wrestle with these thoughts before she pulled a card from her hand.

"I summon Fire Princess in defense mode!" she finally announced as her monster materialized holding its large staff defensively, "Next, I'll play my Token Thanksgiving!" Yugi grinned as the card rose. He recognized this strategy, he had seen her use it before in the KaibaCorp Grand Championship five years ago. She had decimated Vivian Wong with this devastating strategy. He could only assume that the card he destroyed was Gravity Bind which would have made his monsters useless.

"Now I gain eight hundred lifepoints for each token destroyed," Rebecca explained as each scapegoat self-destructed and her lifepoints grew to sixty-four hundred, "then my Fire Princess reduces your lifepoints by five hundred" Yugi shook his head slightly as his lifepoints dropped to thiry-five hundred. Truly this was exactly what he needed.

"Nicely done, but now," Yugi began as he drew his next card, "I'll summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode!" He stared at Rebecca's side of the field. His Breaker could easily do away with her Fire Princess and open her up to a direct assault from his Beta the Magnet Warrior. The only problem was that her lifepoints had already been inflated so even a direct attack wouldn't bring her back to the starting limit.

"Breaker the Magical Warrior, destroy her Fire Princess!" Yugi cried as he beast sliced through her Fire Princess, who let out a short howl of pain as it vanished from the game. Rebecca grimaced. She was wide open.

"Now, I'll attack with Beta the Magnet Warrior!" Yugi added as his next creature closed the gap with Rebecca, hitting her directly. She groaned slightly as her lifepoints plummeted to forty-seven hundred. She still held a considerable lead.

"Yugi! I can't believe you would attack me directly!" she cried, feigning despair as she drew her next card with a wicked grin.

"I'm just playing the game!" Yugi responded defensively to which she could do little but laugh.

"I know that, Yugi," Rebecca began as she slapped her next card on her duel disk, "which is why I'm summoning my Luster Dragon #1 to the field in attack mode!" Her card appeared on the field bringing with it a gemlike blue dragon sporting nineteen hundred attack points. It was more than enough to dispatch either of Yugi's creatures.

"Luster Dragon, attack Beta the Magnet Warrior!" Rebecca cried as he dragon charge the field, slashing Yugi's Magnet Warrior in two. Yugi's lifepoints again fell, this time to thirty-two hundred. Yugi scowled slightly, he had to regain control of this game. Perhaps he really was rusty.

"I'll finish off by placing one card face down!" Rebecca finished as additional card flashed onto the field.

"My move!" he announced as he pulled the next card from the top of his deck. It was one of his all-time favorites.

"I sacrifice Breaker the Magical Warrior," Yugi roared as he slapped his new card on his duel disk, "To call forth the Dark Magician Girl!" Rebecca's jaw dropped as the familiar female magician popped out of her card with a slightly mischievous grin. Yugi had already drawn his Dark Magician Girl, one of his most powerful cards that sported two thousand attack points. Yugi looked up at his monster. It had been far too long since he had last played that card. The Dark Magician had never let him down before.

"Now, Dark Magician Girl destroy her Luster Dragon!" Yugi cried as his magician stepped forward, brandishing her signature staff. Rebecca let out a quick giggle.

"Not so fast, Yugi, reveal face down card; Gravity Bind" Rebecca called out as her card lifted from the ground, stunning the Dark Magician Girl. Yugi laughed as he watched it rise. This card prevented any monster with more than three stars from attacking. It was a signature card in Rebecca's strategy.

"An excellent play!" Yugi called out with a large grin, "But I thought I already destroyed that card!"

"Well, who says I only had one Gravity Bind in my deck!" Rebecca responded playfully. Despite the fact that this was not an official match, she still took this game very seriously.

"I place two cards face down and end my turn!" Yugi finished as two additional cards flashed into existence on his side of the field. He looked up at his Dark Magician Girl who seemed quite uncomfortable crushing under the weight of Rebecca's Gravity Bind. He felt sorry for her. These weren't just cards and holograms to him. They meant someone. Like the others, they too were his friend.

"I place one card face down," Rebecca began after drawing her next card, "Then I'll summon one monster face down." She gazed across the field. Yugi still looked so confident despite the recent turn of events. He was still as optimistic as ever. Not that he had a reason not to be, he was Yugi Muto and she treasured that fact. Besides, she was still missing a few key components to her strategy and until they were recovered she couldn't inflict much damage. Yugi drew his next card, looking at it for a moment before adding it to his hand.

"First, I'll activate my trap card Jar of Greed!" Yugi announced as his card floated up from the field sporting a picture of a jar similar to the one that appeared on Pot of Greed only this one was red, "This allows me to draw one additional card from my deck" A light seemed to beam from the card straight to Yugi's duel disk as he pulled his next card.

"Next, I'll summon my Obnoxious Celtic Guard in defense mode and place one card face down!" Yugi finished as his signature warrior appeared on the field, holding his sword defensively. Rebecca drew her next card and frowned slightly. It wasn't a bad draw but it wasn't what she wanted.

"I play he magic card Stampede Destruction!" Rebecca announced as her card flashed into play, "As long as I have a dragon on the field, I can use this magic card to destroy one of your face down cards and inflict five hundred points of damage!" Yugi gasped as his facedown card shattered away and his lifepoints began to fall to twenty-seven hundred. He frowned; the Legacy of Yata-Garasu would have been a useful trap card.

"I'm afraid that's all I can do…for now" Rebecca finished as Yugi pulled his next card. He looked down at it as his mind began to race. Ancient Rules would be useful but not yet and in the meantime it could serve as deterrent on the field. Placing it face down on the field he signaled that his turn was done. Until one of them pulled the card they were waiting for, all they could do was wait.

"I sacrifice my Luster Dragon so that I can summon Marie the Fallen One in defense mode!" Rebecca announced as her old beast was replaced by a new monster. This but another step towards her ultimate end game.

"Your move, Yugi!" she called out playfully, a grin across her face.

"Very well, I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior in defense mode!" he cried out, bringing forth another layer of defenses. Until he drew what he needed, all he could do was weather the storm and prepare for the worse. Rebecca drew her next monster.

"I sacrifice my Forgiving Maiden and my Marie the Fallen One so I can summon Guardian Angel Joan!" Rebecca cried out as she slapped a new card on her duel disk. She beamed with excitement over her new beast. Yugi let out a laugh.

"I'm afraid that won't work, Rebecca," Yugi called out to her mischievously, "I activate my Bottomless Trap Hole, this removes your new beast from play!" Rebecca gasped as her glorious monster vanished from the game.

"Oh no!" she cried out in horror before shrugging it off, "Oh, well, I just need to get my good friend Marie in to the graveyard so she can activate her special ability!"

"I know, now you get two hundred lifepoints at the start of each turn," Yugi muttered as he drew his next card. Unfortunately, it wasn't the one he needed.

"My move," Rebecca called out as she drew another card and beam. The Magician of Faith would allow her to bring back one magic card from her grave. If she could bring back her scapegoat, she could take a chunk out of Yugi's lifepoints with her Token Feastevil card.

"First, I'll take my two hundred lifepoints from my good friend, Marie," she laughed as her lifepoints rose to forty-nine hundred. She almost possessed twice as many lifepoints as Yugi.

"Then, I'll place this card face down and summon a monster in defense mode!" she finished as the next elements of her plane appeared on the field.

"Alright, time to put an end to your strategy!" Yugi called out as he pulled the next card from his deck. It wasn't the end game card but it definitely would throw a wrench in Rebecca's plan.

"I activate the magic of Monster Reborn!" Yugi announced as his magic card rose dramatically from the ground. Rebecca gasped as the card rose higher in the air. This would allow Yugi to revive any monster in either player's graveyard and there was only one monster that could be of use.

"I'll use it to bring back your Marie the Fallen One on my side of the field in defense mode!" Yugi finished as Rebecca's monster re-materialized next to Yugi's monsters, "Now you won't gain anymore lifepoints!"

"Oh, no!" Rebecca cried as she glanced down at her facedown cards. She had to find a way to return Marie to her graveyard in order for her plan to work. Otherwise, Yugi would surely win.

"A clever move, Yugi, but I'm afraid this duel is far from over!" Rebecca announced as she slipped another card from her deck. It was time to implement the next phase of her plan.

"To start off, I'll flip my Magician of Faith into attack mode," Rebecca began as she manipulated the card on her disk, "This lets me move Scapegoat back into my hand!" The card ejected itself from her graveyard. Pulling it out quickly, she slammed it into her duel disk enthusiastically. The card rose from the ground, bringing with it four small colorful goats.

"Next, I'll activate my Scapegoat and follow up with my Token Feastevil card!" Rebecca cried out as all four of her scapegoats quickly self-destructed for the second time. Yugi gazed on confused, unsure of the what to expect.

"This handy trap card automatically destroys every token on the field and inflict three hundred points of damage for each token destroyed," Rebecca explained as she pointed at Yugi, "That means you lose twelve hundred lifepoints!" Yugi gasped as his meter plummeted down to fifteen hundred. He was running dangerously low on lifepoints but he had to stay strong. His deck would come through for him, eventually,

"A fantastic move," Yugi shouted with a huge grin, "Let's see what I can do…" Rebecca blushed slightly at his compliment. His words meant much to her. A slightly dejected look fell upon his face. Clearly he didn't draw the card he needed. This look didn't persist though and was quickly replaced with a look of joy.

"Well, I didn't draw what I needed but I'm really excited to see what you can do with your next turn," Yugi spoke as he rubbed the back of his head. She was still as strong a duelist as he remembered her being. She was the youngest person to win a regional championship.

"Thank you, Yugi," she responded, holding her hands over her heart, "You are so nice," She moved one card from her deck to her hand before getting lost in thought. Numbers ran through her mind as she calculated her next move. She was a dangerous opponent.

"I summon my Injection Fairy Lily in attack mode," Rebecca finally spoke, sliding her new monster onto her duel disk. Above the card materialized a small nurse-like fairy sporting a strange looking needle.

"Oh, no!" Yugi cried out, "That's an amazing draw!" He gazed at his creatures and sadly took note of the only one in attack mode; his Dark Magician Girl. Despite the fact that Injection Fairy Lily only had four hundred stock points it could easily best in Magician and take with her a huge chunk of her lifepoints.

"I activate my Fairy Lily's special ability and give up two thousand life points to boost my monster's strength by three thousand!" Rebecca announced as her lifepoints dropped to twenty-nine hundred while her monster's attack points rose to thirty-four hundred, her small needle growing exponentially in size. Sometimes you had to spend lifepoints in order to take lifepoints and this was a necessary move.

"Now destroy his Dark Magician Girl!" Rebecca called out as her Fairy charged forth, impaling the Dark Magician Girl with her large needle. The Dark Magician Girl cried out in pain.

"No! My Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi cried out, shielding his face from the explosion that followed. His Dark Magician Girl was gone and so were most of his lifepoints, which plummeted down to one hundred. Things were looking dire and there was no room left for mistakes.

"Sorry, Yugi," Rebecca called out softly, "I didn't think you'd be this rusty…" She knew that card was one of his favorites and it pained her slightly to destroy it. However, that was just the way the game needed to be played.

"It's fine, Rebecca, I'm having a blast," Yugi responded as he drew his next card, "I'll keep all my monsters in defense mode and end my turn." As long as she had to pay lifepoints, it wasn't worth the risk to attack with her Fairy Lily. She still needed to get Marie the Fallen One back into her graveyard somehow.

"I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!" Rebecca called out, bracing herself for Yugi's next move. Yugi quickly drew his next card: The Dark Magician. Unfortunately, he couldn't afford to sacrifice Marie the Fallen One to summon it or Rebecca would gain lifepoints again. With only one hundred points to spare, every move counted.

"I activate my face down card; Ancient Rules," Yugi announced as his face down card rose up and glowed, "This allows me to Special Summon a powerful monster without making a sacrifice!"

"Unfortunately, I seem to be one step ahead of you!" Rebecca cried out, somewhat disappointed, "I activate Magic Jammer which cancels out your card" She frowned slightly, feeling a little guilty. Perhaps he was rusty and it was wrong of her to challenge him in this state. It had been a long time since Yugi played the game. Maybe he needed time to get his groove back.

"In that case," Yugi spoke, unfazed by the occurrence, "I sacrifice my Obnoxious Celtic Guard in order to summon Jack's Knight in defense mode!" His first monster was quickly replaced by an elegant looking creature sporting royal armor. Rebecca tentatively drew her next card. Perhaps she should take the high road and let Yugi win? He had done the same thing for her and it only seemed fair. He needed this far more than she did.

"Don't think about going easy on me, Rebecca," Yugi cried out, as if he was somehow aware of her trifling thoughts, "I'm having a blast and I want to see how this duel turns out." Rebecca felt her heart glow. This was why he was her best friend. He never gave up, no matter what and he always had fun.

"Alright then, stand back, "Rebecca announced full of determination. She immediately slapped the card she drew into her duel disk as it floated on the field.

"I activate Tribute to the Doomed," Rebecca continued as she discarded a card from her hand, "as long as I discard one card, I can automatically destroy one monster on the field and I choose Marie the Fallen One!" From below the monster, tendons of clothe swarmed and bound her terrified creature who let out cries of distress before a large monstrous hand pulled her under. Rebecca felt a little bad for her creature's fate.

"Sorry, Marie, but now I'll activate the magic card Shallow Grave and use it to bring back my Fire Princess!" Rebecca added as her next card materialized bringing back her Fire Princess who stood tall and unfazed. Yugi's jaw dropped. What an incredible move. At this juncture, Yugi would lose in the next turn if he didn't turn things around. When Rebecca drew her next card, Marie would increase her lifepoints which in turn would activate Fire Princess' special ability and take out the remainder of Yugi's lifepoints.

"Alright, Yugi, let's see what you got," Rebecca finished as she gazed across the field. She was sure that this was it. There was nothing Yugi could do to stop her now.

"Alright, it's time to end this!" Yugi called out as he drew his next card. He didn't look at it. He didn't have to. He knew that his deck would give him the tools he needed to stage a tremendous comeback. It didn't matter if the duel was as insignificant as two old friends playing a friendly game or if the weight of the world rested on its outcome. He knew one thing; he was going to win.


	3. Victory and Defeat

Joey stood with a scowl on his face as he stared at his current opponent, a mysterious freak who had cornered him into a duel in a dark alley. Gazing across the field failed to fill Joey with comfort. Despite the fact that he had managed to reduce this freak's lifepoints to thirty-two hundred, he held the upper hand. Not only did he sport a monster with twenty-one hundred attack points but it one attack had already dropped Joey to twenty-nine hundred lifepoints. To add insult to injury, he had three cards facedown and had likely set a trap to further dismantle his defenses. All he had going for him was his Marauding Captain but with only twelve hundred attack points it wasn't much.

"That's it for my turn." The figure continued as his Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand let out a seemingly random howl and exploded. Joey's eye widened in confusion. He hadn't done anything.

"Unfortunately, a monster as powerful as Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand requires a very specific sacrifice to remain in play," the figure explained as he noticed the obvious look on his adversaries face, "One that can't make at the moment so my monster is automatically destroyed." Not that it matters, his three facedown cards could defend him and if not he still had enough lifepoints to stay in the game anyway. In fact, the lower he allowed his own lifepoints to get the better. He loved toying with his opponents.

"Big mistake, pal," Joey cried as he drew his next card, "What kind of a moron plays a monster he knows he can't keep," Joey scanned his deck for mere moments before a new grin as he yanked one card out from the rest.

"And if you think your facedown cards will help you, you're wrong, "Joey announced as he slapped his card into the disk slot, "I activate Giant Trunade! Now every magic or trap card on the field gets returned to our hands!" Joey's card rose off the ground and in a blinding flash of light it conjured a huge storm. Gusts of winds went berserk in the alley as the by standing gang members groaned as they struggle to keep their clothes on. Joey's adversary watched helplessly as his last line of defense vanished from the field.

"Oh, well," Joey mocked as he slid another card from his hand, "Now I summon my Gearfrie!d the Iron Knight!" From his card spawned a huge figure, clad head-to-toe in black gleaming armor. Sporting eighteen hundred attack points, this new creature could pack a punch. Joey narrowed his eyes at his opponent. In one turn, he had managed to reverse the situation. Now not only did he have enough attack power to nearly wipe out all of that freak's lifepoints but there was nothing that moron could do to stop him. For a split second a feeling of pride gushed from him but vanished quickly thereafter. He couldn't afford to get a big head now, men that this mysterious figure were exceptionally dangerous and tricky.

"Now, I'll attack you directly with both of my monsters!" Joey roared as both of his creatures sprang to life, charging across the field. In two slashes, they left the figure clutching his chest in pain with one eye closed. The attack was devastating as the stranger's lifepoints dropped to two hundred.

"You're awfully quiet for having made such a move," the figure groaned as he straightened himself. It was time for him to stop playing such childish games. His boss wouldn't tolerate such an embarrassing defeat and obvious failure. Pride and enjoyment meant nothing, it was all about success.

"I figured you'd be out of air by now from all the gloating…" he continued, panting with exhaustion as he struggled to recover from such a major physical blow.

"Yeah, well, let's just say my record with psychos in dark alleys ain't too good," Joey muttered as he slid another card into his duel disk which flashed into existence at his feet, "Last time I took this much of a lead, I got pummeled by Exodia. But I tell ya, if you have those cards too then they ain't as rare as they make them out to be! "It was true. No matter how good of a duelist he was, he always tended to get the nuts with the rarest cards. From Exodia to the Winged Dragon of Ra, it didn't seem to stop. It seemed like all the weirdos in the world could get their hands on such priceless cards. Joey's brow dipped down as he continued to ponder it. How come he couldn't find any of those cards?

"I suggest you pay attention you twit," the figure interrupted his thoughts as he drew his next card. That guy had no room to talk with only two hundred lifepoints.

"Hey! In case you haven't noticed, I've knocked you back to the ropes pal!" Joey cried angrily in rebuttal.

"That may true, or maybe those ropes are much farther away," the figured taunted as he slipped another card into his duel disk, "I'll start things off with a favorite of yours; Scapegoat!" His card rose off the ground and in a flash of blinding light there four scapegoats, safeguarding his lifepoints. Joey smirked. Scapegoat was actually a very common card and a favorite among many in the dueling community. It was very versatile and could be used as a hasty defense or a sacrifice. Either way it was an arsenal in the right duelist's deck.

"Then, I'll place two more cards facedown," the figure finished as his cards materialized behind his row of goats.

"You couldn't even play one useful monster!" Joey cried, cracking up slightly as he attempts to stay serious began to break down, "I thought you were a duelist!" Maybe he didn't have anything to be afraid of.

"If you haven't noticed, I've put up a wall of defense that you can't penetrate you imbecilic," the figure spat back.

"Actually, I did notice. I noticed that you now have four creatures which is two more than I have," Joey responded as he pulled a card dramatically from his hand, "This means I can summon my Fiend Megacyber to the field without making a sacrifice." His mighty creature rose from the ground and took its place among Joey's growing frontline of monsters. He could wipe out almost all of his opponent's scapegoats in one turn.

"Fiend Megacyber, attack his first scapegoat token!" Joey cried as his monster let out a mighty roar. It charged the field but was intercepted by the rising of another card. Joey cried out in frustration.

"I'm afraid you've triggered my trap, Magic Cylinder!" the stranger cried triumphantly, "Not only does this destroy you monster but you lose lifepoints equivalent to your monster's attack points!" Joey let out another moan of frustration. He had forgot to anticipate his opponent's trap cards. Still, you can't win a duel without taking chances. It's just that sometimes it doesn't work out. Joey gritted his teeth as his lifepoints fell to seven hundred. Now he was in the gutter right with the filth he was dueling.

"I still have my other two monsters!" Joey roared as his two monsters leapt towards the scapegoats, with their weapons gleaming in the moonlight. The stranger raised his hand as he struggled with the decision over whether or not he should stop this attack with his other trap. One click of a button and Joey's onslaught would be prevented. Then again, if this fool did manage to do something a facedown trap like this would be handy. Lowering his hand, the stranger watched as two of scapegoats were sliced in two.

"It's my turn now and this duel is rapidly approaching its conclusion," the figure called out as he ripped his next card from his deck, "It starts with these two cards face down!" Slamming two cards in his spell slots, they materialized next to his other trap to lie in weight. Joey grinded his teeth as he watched his threats continue to grow. More trap cards to worry about.

"Then, I'll summon my Luster Dragon," the stranger continued as a dragon of pure sapphire roared from its card. Joey braced himself for the coming attack. With nineteen hundred attack points, it could easily best either one of his monsters and he couldn't afford to lose any lifepoints now. Luckily, he had an ace in the hole that had always helped in the past.

"Luster Dragon, destroy his Marauding Captain and wipe out the rest of his lifepoints!" the figure roared as his vicious dragon lunged toward Joey's Marauding Captain. Joey's monster shifted its weight, angling its swords as it prepared for the blow.

"I activate my Skull Dice!" Joey cried, quickly tapping the release button on his duel disk. His card rose off of the ground, surrounded in white light, as it spat out a red die. Unfortunately, it was only to mitigate the damage. The difference between the strength of each monster was so great even a six wouldn't prevent the destruction of his monster. What it would do, however, is keep him in the game. The die bounced off the ground as it rolled, both monsters frozen mid-attack as they waited for its outcome. Finally, it landed; a three. Luster Dragon's attack feel to fifteen hundred points as it trapped the Marauding Captain between its jaws. With one last scream, it was over and Joey's lifepoints fell to four hundred. Both duelists clung to the last of their lifepoints but one would have to falter eventually.

"All you've managed to do is put off the inevitable," the figured taunted as he let his arms rest at his sides, "I end my turn." He watched patiently for his adversary to make a move. While his lifepoints weren't high, his strategy would kick in much sooner than Joey could realize.

"As long as I have points on the board, it isn't over!" Joey responded, ripping his next card from his deck.

"Now I activate my trap card, one you should be familiar with," the figure interrupted as his card spawned a dark and hideous beast, "Embodiment of Apophis!" Joey tilted his head for the monster was familiar but he struggled to place his mind on it. Where had he seen this card before?

"This is one my many Trap-Monster cards," the figure explained as his figure shifted to a defensive position, "This card spawns a beast in defense mode and it has all the benefits of a regular monster." It suddenly hit Joey with the force of a ton of bricks. These were similar to the cards used by Odion in the Battle City tournament when he was pretending to be Marik. Not only were they powerful but they allowed Odion to put multiple monsters on the field at once. There was only one reason to that. Whatever this creep was planning involved a pretty hefty sacrifice and Joey couldn't allow that to happen. Fortunately, while it had inherited the strength of monster's it was still plagued by the weaknesses of trap cards. Joey just had to draw the right card.

"I've seen those things before," Joey cried out as he slid a card into his duel disk, "They didn't take me down then and they won't bring me down now. I activate my Card of Sanctity! Now each of us draws until we both have six cards in our hand!" Joey rapidly pulled each card from his deck, praying for the right one. His eyes scanned his new hand with disappointed. While he had not drawn the worst of cards he had failed to pull the right one.

"Disappointed?" the figure taunted as he too began to examine his cards, "I should thank you, Joey, for reinvigorating my hand. You've given me the tools to destroy you!" Joey growled and hissed in frustration. There was no way he was going to lose to him.

"I summon Baby Dragon in defense mode!" Joey continued as his miniature dragon hovered above his newly materialized card, "Plus, I'll switch my Gearfried the Iron Knight to defense mode." He didn't know what this freak was planning and he had to assume that with two monsters one the field, he was going to summon one huge monster. This way his lifepoints would be safe and he could at least stay in the game.

"Then, I place one card face down and end my turn!" Joey finished. The figure let out a howl of laughter as he pulled his next card.

"Allow me to beckon you into the darkness," the figure began as he held up a card to show Joey, "and it starts with this! My Zoma the Spirit Trap-Monster! This trap card allows me to bring forth this beast in defense mode as soon as I play it!" His trap card rose from the field as it regurgitated a pale form, see-through save for its beady black eyes. Joey felt a chill run down his spine as he stared into the new creature's eyes. It was pretty creepy to say the least.

"If you're scared of this beast, you won't survive an onslaught from this one!" the figure continued as he pulled a new card triumphantly from his hand, "But first, I am required to sacrifice all three of my creature!"

"All three of them!" Joey cried out in disbelief. There were very few monsters that required a third sacrifice and almost all of them were particularly nasty. They either boasted overwhelming offensive power in attack points and special effects or they contained impenetrable defenses, often times both. Joey braced himself as he watched all three creatures transform into glowing balls of light and rise up into the sky.

"Now, I summon my Obelisk the Tormentor!" the figure finished as the sky began darken, with bolts of lightning tearing through the air and burrowing beneath the concrete. Joey's jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

"That's not possible!" Joey bellowed as he stared up into the sky with fear. There was no way this stranger in front of him had that card. Only one person had that card and only a select few could play it. Joey might not have understood a lot of things but he understood those things. More importantly, the one person who had that card had taken it with him when he moved on from this world and that person was the Pharaoh Atem. Yet there he stood, staring in the red hot eyes of blue giant itself. Sporting a mighty four thousand attack points, his mighty fists could crush most of Joey's monsters. How did he summon it?

"Surprised?" the figure began as Joey stood, silent with shock, "I assure your eyes don't deceive you and I also guarantee that this is not your Obelisk…" The sentence drifted through Joey's mind as he stared up in dreadful awe of the beast.

"What do you mean, my Obelisk?" Joey finally stuttered, taking one timid step away from the beast. The figure let out another serious of dark laughs as he pulled the card from his due disk. He held it up as if it's very design would tell Joey something. Joey squinted his eyes as he struggled to see. He could have sworn that the card had been blue.

"You see, we aren't from around here which is why we need you to give Mister Moto our message," the figure explained, "This may look similar to the Obelisk you are familiar with but that card is gone, buried with your precious Pharaoh. Let's just say this monster has a very different soul, in fact it doesn't even have the same effects as your pitiful creature!"

"What?" Joey muttered baffled and confused, "Just who are you!"

"Like this creature, we are similar but very different," the figure continued, "But now is not the time for such things. My boss works on deadlines so back to business shall we?" Joey took another timid step back. None of this made any sense. How could a group of hooded weirdos possess a copy of one of the most powerful creatures that ever existed? This wasn't just a cheap imitation either. To be accepted by a duel disk it had to be a near authentic copy but how could it? Wasn't it more feasible that they had merely recreated the card? More than that, how did they know so much about their lives and the Pharaoh? What did they want and who were they?

"I sacrifice my remaining tokens to activate Obelisk's special ability," the figure began, unfazed by Joey's stunned look, "While it won't wipe out your lifepoints, it allows my monster to rid the field of yours!" Obelisk gripped the two goats in his fists as they began to glow.

"Now, destroy his monsters with your Fist of Darkness!" the figure bellowed as Obelisk threw its fist at both of Joey's creature. In a blinding flash of light, both were decimated with enough force to send Joey skidding back. He groaned as he stood back on his feet. What could he do to stand up to such power?

* * *

Yugi stood there, staring across the field at his opponent. The thrill of the duel blinded to him everything else. There was just him and her and that rooftop. The game certainly didn't seem to be going in his favor. With only one hundred lifepoints left, he had to find a way to drain Rebecca of all of her twenty-nine hundred lifepoints before he lost. He only had one turn with which to do it for Rebecca Marie the Fallen would raise her lifepoints by 200 in the following turn which would set off a chain reaction which would destroy Yugi. He was trapped but not beaten. He knew that his deck held everything he needed.

"First, I'll use your Shallow Grave to bring back my Dark Magician Girl," Yugi began as his faithful magician jumped from his graveyard. Giving a curtsey, she took her position among Yugi's monsters. Unfortunately, Shallow Grave dictated that both of their monsters be placed in defense mode but the Dark Magician Girl was just one piece in his puzzle. While he treasured each piece, he knew the importance of strategy. His eyes shifted to his Skilled Dark Magician, which had been silently collecting spellcaster tokens since he played it several turns ago. Soon, it would unleash his favorite monster.

"Then, I'll play my Card of Sanctity," Yugi continued as the final pad on his Skill Dark Magician glowed with energy, "Not only will this give me a new hand with which to defeat you but it gives my Skilled Dark Magician all the power it needs!" Yugi drew his cards as his Skilled Dark Magician continued to glow before vanishing from the field.

"Now come forth my Dark Magician!" Yugi announced as his favorite monster stepped stoically from his card. Rebecca's brow furrowed as she tried to figure out what Yugi was planning. He managed to summon several powerful monsters but with her Gravity Bind on the field they were useless.

"Now, I'll play my Magic Formula magic card," Yugi continued as book of secret spells began float several feet from the ground with now master. Rebecca smirked.

"Nice try, Yugi, but your Dark Magician still won't be powerful enough to defeat my Injection Fairy Lily!" Rebecca spoke with a smug grin. It was a valiant effort but she had thought of everything.

"I'm not giving it to my Dark Magician," Yugi responded with his own grin as his magic card drifted to his Dark Magician Girl, who eagerly accepted her gift as her attack points rose to twenty-seven hundred.

"What?! But that makes no sense!" Rebecca cried out as Yugi continued to pull cards from his hands. He knew his strategy would dawn on her when he was finished.

"Now, I'll sacrifice my Dark Magician Girl and my Jack's Knight in order to summon my Buster Blader!" Yugi continued as his two beasts vanished into a pale light which spawned his new creature, a warrior in signature purple armor sporting an outrageously long blade. Rebecca blinked in confusion. Why had Yugi equipped that card to his Dark Magician Girl only to sacrifice her soon after? This was only compounded with the confusion she felt when Yugi gained one thousand lifepoints, giving him a total of eleven hundred.

"Whenever my Magic Formula card is sent to the graveyard," Yugi explained as he deposited his beloved cards into his graveyard, "The magic within the book bestows upon me a final gift of one thousand lifepoints. Now, I'll be safe from your Fire Princess!"

"You still won't be safe from my Injection Fairy Lily!" Rebecca spat back as she struggled to grasp her friend's strategy, "She'll have enough to wipe out your lifepoints when my Fire Princess is done!"

"Then, I guess I'll have to destroy her!" Yugi responded with a smug grin. Rebecca's heart dropped and fluttered at the same time. It was amazing to her how Yugi could stay so confident but it tore her apart not knowing what was coming next. Did he have a way around her Gravity Bind?!

"You can't attack me with your monsters while my Gravity Bind is in play!" Rebecca argued as she looked through the cards in her hands. There were very few cards which could unleash the power of Yugi's frontline of beasts and the odds that he held one were slim to none. She had done the math.

"Tradition Attacks aren't the only way my monsters can attack," Yugi boasted as he pulled another card from his hand. Rebecca's confusion soon turned to anticipation. This was one of the many reason she adored Yugi.

"So, show me! I can't wait to see it!" Rebecca cried out gleefully with a tremendous smile on her face. She loved this game almost as much as she loved her friend. Yugi closed his eyes and bowed his head, silently thanking his Dark Magician Girl for her sacrifice.

"I remove my Dark Magician Girl, a creature of Darkness," Yugi began as his duel disk regurgitated two of his fallen monsters, "and my Jack's Knight, a creature of Light, which allows me to summon this; my Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning!" From the heavens came a bolt of light which intercepted with a bolt of darkness, the souls of the two beings Yugi had been forced to sacrifice. The two entities struggled against each other before forming a sphere of intense magical energy. From this sphere spawned a soldier clad in gleaming black armor which seemed to emanate both light and darkness. Rebecca's jaw dropped. Every move he had made served a purpose. Every single card further his cause and got him to his goal. He truly was still the King of Games.

"My Black Luster Soldier has a special ability which allows him to remove one creature from the game!" Yugi continued as his soldier raised his sword to his face. His sword began to glow with a blinding light that was surrounded by shadow as he prepared to let loose his mighty blow. Rebecca took a step back, raising her duel disk defensively.

"Now, destroy her Injection Fairy Lily!" Yugi roared as his warrior sliced throw the air, sending a beam of light which collided with and obliterated Rebecca's Injection Fairy Lily. Though her lifepoints were spared, she had lost her most powerful monster that had been in play.

"Wow, what an impressive comeback!" Rebecca gushed as she reached up to pull her next card, "Do you have anything more or is that it?"

"That's it for now, thanks!" Yugi blushed slightly at the compliment as he chuckled. The energy of his move still pulsated through him. He truly did love this game. Rebecca drew her next card before staring down her opponent. Unfortunately, he had gotten out of a game ending combo and she had to prepare for the worse.

"First, I'll take my two hundred lifepoint boost which means you also lose five hundred lifepoints due to my Fire Princess," Rebecca began as her lifepoints climbed to thirty-one hundred while Yugis's fell to six hundred. She was so close but not quite there and Yugi had assembled an all-star cast of monsters. She had to play it safe.

"Lastly, I'll switch all my monsters to defense mode and its back to you!" Rebecca finished as she manipulated all her cards on her duel disk. She just had to last a little longer. Yugi drew his next card and gazed into her eyes with a warm smile. It was almost too much for her to bare.

"Thanks, Rebecca, I really needed this," Yugi began as he slid a card into his duel disk, "It's been really fun!" A card rose from the ground soon after, one that actually took Rebecca's breath away; Mystical Space Typhoon. In a hurricane of energy, here Gravity Bind was shattered and its effects were worn down completely. She gazed with a slight sense of fear. All of Yugi's powerful monsters were now poised to wipe her out completely. It was game over. She was all out of moves.

"Next, I'll play my Fusion Gate, allowing me to fuse my Dark Magician with my Buster Blader in order to form Dark Paladin!" Yugi continued with his devastating move as his powerful creatures combined to form an even deadlier one.

"Then, I'll switch my Gamma to attack mode!" Yugi continued before he paused. Did he really want this game to end? This was the best he had felt in a while and Rebecca had made him feel happy for the entirety of the match. It was nice to have a friendly match with no titles or world ending outcomes. Just two friends and a game of Duel Monster. He finally met Rebecca's gaze and her beaming face said it all. She had enjoyed this as much as he and she knew how it had to end.

"Now, Beta the Magnet Warrior, destroy her Magician of Faith!" Yugi called out as his metal warrior demolished Rebecca's first monster. Rebecca lowered her arms as she watched the onslaught. It had been a very touch but enjoyable battle.

"Now, time for my Black Luster Solider!" Yugi continued as his shadowy warrior held forth his blade, "His other special ability allows him to attack twice if he destroys a monster!" Rebecca gasped as the last of her defense was cut down and in the same motion a holographic sword struck her chest. It was painful but duel systems never did any lasting damage. It was merely some temporary discomfort met to test the endurance of those playing. She grimaced weakly as her lifepoints plummeted to one hundred. Yugi waited, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine! I do this all the time!" Rebecca assured him as he called forth his final attack. In one last burst of magical energy it was over. He had one. Her lifepoints dropped to zero as they both fell to the ground, her because of the last attack and he because the lack of sleep had finally caught up to him.

"Yugi!" she cried as she scrambled to her feet, dashing over to his side. She helped him off the ground, supporting his weight on her shoulder. He was much heavier than she remembered him being. Yugi scratched the back of his head with embarrassment.

"I guess I'm a little tired!" he chuckled as Rebecca began to walk him to the stairs. A warm smile and relief washed over her face. He was okay.

"Well, a great duel will do that to you!" Rebecca replied happily as she helped in down the stairs, "Let's get you back home!"

"No! I can't leave my grandpa," Yugi muttered sleepily, as his weight on her shoulder increased, "I'll sleep in the room…" His weight was starting to become a problem as she buckled slightly under the pressure. As much as she wanted to protest, she didn't have the strength to get him downstairs. It seemed like an eternity before she reached the floor that housed Solomon Moto and by then she had already developed another layer of sweat. A doctor taking note of her finally lifted her from her shoulders. It was bittersweet but she was exhausted too. She still had quite a fair deal of jet leg. The two helped Yugi back into the room with his grandfather and made a makeshift bed out of chairs. Rebecca watch him as he slept, placing her jacket over him as a blanket. There lay her closest friend and she would take care of him.

"You should go to the hotel," her grandfather spoke softly, retaking his seat, "I'll watch over them but there is no need for everyone to lose sleep over this. Besides, if you stay they'll need to wheel in some more bed!" Rebecca pondered the thought for a few moments longer. She knew it was futile to disagree with her grandfather so she did so mentally. She didn't want to leave Yugi like this but she had done all she could for him. With a silent nod, she left the room vowing to return in the morning.

* * *

Joey continued to stare at Obelisk the Tormenter, too stunned to move. The figure held a smug look on his face, concealed by his cloak, as he placed two more cards. This fool was done and judging by the look on his face he knew it.

"Have you come to your senses and realized there is no one you can win?" the figure interjected Joey's thoughts, shaking him back to reality. Pride began to swell within him. He had watched Yugi defeat these same cards again and again over the years. No card was without weakness and he knew he could find this one. He was Joey Wheeler, a finalist in almost every tournament he played in. He could find a way.

"No way! Joey Wheeler doesn't quit!" he announced as he ripped his next card from his deck, "Now look out! I activate my Graceful Charity. Now I can draw three new cards as long as discard two!" Joey's hand hovered over his deck as he prepared to draw his card. There was only one card in his deck that could turn things around. One of his most trusted monsters and he had to draw it now. Graceful Charity would give him three opportunities to pull it from the depths of his deck but it would be up to the Heart of the Cards if he succeeded.

"You realize you have to draw the cards right?" the figure spat impatiently.

"Don't rush me!" Joey cried back with a clenched fist, "Ok, here goes!" He drew his first card; Monster Reborn, a very helpful magic card. He drew his second card; Rocket Warrior, helpful but not in this situation. It all came down to this last card. Slamming his eyes shut, he pulled it from his deck and slowly turned to look at it.

"Oh yeah! Joey Wheeler's back baby!" he cried as his duel disk devoured two of his cards. He pulled a card triumphantly from his hand, raising it to the heavens.

"I activate Monster Reborn which allows me to summon my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey bellowed of his veracious dragon which pitch black scales let loose a roar that shook the concrete. This monster had come for him many times in the past and it was one of his favorite monsters. Sporting twenty-four hundred attack points, it packed quite the punch.

"An impressive beast but it pales in comparison to mine," the figure interjected as Joey tapped on his duel disk.

"Not when I juice him up with this!" Joey began as his card rose from the ground bearing the image of metallic steel armor, "My Metalmorph trap card! This turns my Red-Eyes Black Dragon into the Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon!" Pieces of steel flew from the depths of Joey's trap card as they began to fuse themselves to the beast, covering from head-to-toe with metal as it let out a metallic roar. This had the added benefit of giving his dragon three hundred extra attack points. The figure though remained unfazed. He had outmaneuvered his opponent several moves prior. Still, he had to admit it was impressive. Joey Wheeler was a very strong duelist but he was better.

"Now, whenever my monster attacks it gains half of its target monster's attack points!" Joey continued as his Red-Eyes let out another metallic screech. From beneath the surface it began to glow with flashing red light as power began to build, crackling within its jaws as it struggles to contain itself. It's attack points rose sharply to forty-seven hundred. More than enough to destroyed Obelisk and win the duel!

"Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon, destroy Obelisk the Tormenter with Flash Flare Blast!" Joey bellowed as his dragon unleased all of its energy, directly a beam of concentrated plasma towards Obelisk's chest. The alley was filled with a blind light as Joey shielded his eyes with his duel disk. It was unpleasant to say the least as heat filled the alley too, singing his skin. He groaned as he waited for the light to dim.

"That's it…its over…" he muttered, his eyes still closed as he waited for the heat to subside. His heart dropped when they opened. His attack hadn't work. Obelisk still stood tall.

"A valiant, albeit futile effort, thanks to my trap card Negate Attack," the figure explained as he drew his next card, "and I'm afraid things get worse for you, I activate Raigeki Break! This lets me destroy one card on your side of the field as long as I discard a card of my own and I choose your precious Red-Eyes!"

"No!" Joey cried helplessly as his Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon was struck by a blast originating from his foe's trap card. The dragon thrashed in pain as electricity conducted through its metal frame. In the end, it let out one last howl of defiance before shattering for existence. Joey slumped over. He had played all of his cards, there were no more card he could play. The game was over. He had lost.

"Now, Obelisk the Tormentor attack this fool's lifepoints directly!" the figure finished as his giant creature hurled its mighty fist towards Joey. With nothing to protect him, he felt the full devastating effect of its strike. Pain rocketed through every nerve of his body, a pain he had only experienced once before in his life. He couldn't contain the screech of torment that escaped his lungs as his skin felt like it had been lit ablaze. His lifepoints plummeted to zero as he was sent flying, slamming into the concrete far behind him. The metallic taste of blood crept into his mouth as his mind entered a severe state of shock. This was more than an attack from a simple KaibaCorp hologram. The figures began to close around Joey. Then, all went black.

* * *

Yugi had found solace in the blackness that was his unconscious mind. At the moment, there were no dreams or nightmares plaguing his rest. Only blissful silence. As the minutes turned to hours, the young man could feel the pleasant embrace of sleep reinvigorate him. It was exactly what he had need. For hours, there were silence until he heard a plethora of hushed voices near him. Though those responsible had tried to remain silent, it was loud enough to shake Yugi from his restful sleep.

"Huh?" he groaned groggily, as his vision blurred. He struggled to see in the bright light that blinded his vision. He could barely make out two silhouettes in the intense light.

"Way to go, Tristan," one voice, clearly female, spoke with an irritated tone, "You woke him up!" The other shadow skirted away defensively as he held up his arms.

"Not my fault you had to go blabbing you mouth, Tea!" the other figure spat back as the two turned towards him. Shaking off the drowsiness, his lethargy was quickly replaced with excitement. There stood two of his closest friends, both sporting similar styles as the last time he saw them. Triston with his signature jacket and Tea looking as beautiful as ever. The sight of them truly warmed his heart.

"Tristan! Tea!" Yugi cried as he leapt from his makeshift bed and embraced the two in a warm hug, "It's great to see you!" It felt like he hadn't seen them in ages and the feeling was clearly mutual. Both friends seemed to fight over who go more of the hug.

"It's great to see you too, buddy, we just wish it was under better circumstances," Tristan replied as he warmed the hug. Tristan worked security for KaibaCorp's European branch. He had spent his entire life fighting against bullies so when Mokuba offered him a position to do it professionally, he couldn't refuse. It seemed like that kid had a soft spot for Yugi and his pals. Unfortunately, that meant that Tristan had to move away from everything that he knew. He looked down at his short friend, a pang of guilt stabbing at his heart. If he had been there, maybe this wouldn't have happened.

"We're so sorry about what happened to your grandpa," Tea added softly, "and I would have been here sooner but I've been on tour!" Unlike Tristan, she felt nothing but guilt when she looked down at her friend. After so many years of friendship, she had gotten so caught up in her dance career that she hadn't spoken with Yugi in years. In fact, Joey wasn't even able to get in touch with her and if it wasn't for Rebecca's stubborn attitude, the news wouldn't have gotten through. She was a dance success and rising star but in the dancing world that meant constant appearances and that left little time for her friends. After everything Yugi had done for her, she almost missed her opportunity to return the favor.

"Yeah, me too, but at least his condition hasn't worsened," Yugi muttered, his mood souring a little as he shifted his gaze back to the bed. In all the excitement, he had nearly forgotten about the predicament his grandfather found himself in.

"Glad to see you finally showed up!" Rebecca's voice interjected, seasoned with a slight annoyance. Tristan turned to face her with an annoyed look on his face while Tea simply looked away.

"Hey, I travelled a long way to see Yugi!" Tristan spat back defensively, crossing his arms as his shifted his weight towards her. She had no right to talk to him like that.

"I think, she's talking about me," Tea spoke softly, guilt in her voice. She took a deep breath as guilt continued to flood her heart. Unlike the rest of her friends, she had gotten out of touch with Yugi. Perhaps it was out of confusion over the Pharaoh or a plethora of other things but mainly it was her focus on dance. It was her dream, her passion, and it sucked up every ounce of her life.

"Aww, Tea, its fine, I know you were busy," Yugi replied as he locked on to her guilt. It always pained him to see his friends said and truly he understood being busy. His statement only made her feel worse but the past was the past. She was determined not to leave her friends alone. Tristan and Rebecca began to bicker in the background as Yugi continued to stare at Tea. She seemed so lost in thought and feelings. She must really feel guilty.

"Hey, wait a sec, "Rebecca spoke out loudly as if realizing some long lost fact, "Where is Joey? He should have been her hours ago! He was the first one I got in touch with?" A new wave of worry flooded the room. It always seemed that when one person got hurt, another always followed in suite, and Joey didn't have the best track record. In a bizarre twist of fate, a nurse bolted into the room shortly after the words had escaped from Rebecca's mouth. A layer of sweat covered her brow as she panted heavily from the pace she had set for herself.

"Yugi Muto?" she panted, wiping the sweat from her brow with her forearm. Yugi took one step forward, confidence shielding him from the fear that lurked in his heart.

"Yes?" he replied as he prayed it was not the news he began to expect. Without a word, the nurse signaled for him to follow and he quickly matched her pace. He wasn't alone either, his friends were already nipping at his heels. Each one shared an identical thought; they were all worried about Joey. Turning the corner, Yugi's heart dropped.

"Joey!" he cried as he charged a bed that housed his battered friend. Joey's eyes fluttered open, pain emanating from every orifice of his body as he struggled to stay conscious. The sight of his friends flooded him with new strength as he lifted himself off of the bed, getting close enough to Yugi to share the message he had been tasked to deliver.

"Y-Yugi," he coughed weakly, "It was them. The ones who hurt your…. grandfather. They said that he was just the beginning and that our world would burn as theirs rose…the Shattered Mirror…Obelisk…." After a few moments the pain was more than he could bear and exhaustion clouded his mind again as he flopped back down into the bed. Yugi looked upon with horror as he watched his friend passed out. This was simply too much to bear.

"Look, your friend has taken quite a beating but he'll be okay," the Doctor spoke firmly as he began to push Yugi from the room, "But that'll only happen if you all leave and let me do my job!"

"Hey, I don't know if you know who you're talking to but that's my friend lying there!" Tristan spat angrily as he rose his fists. It was true. Joey and he had always been there to watch each other's back. They shared a friendship like no other and even distance had failed to erode such a bond. It infuriated him to know that someone had done this to him.

"Tristan, that's not helping…" Tea spoke mournfully as she lay a hand on his should. Her words seemed to bounce off of his fuming skull as he continued to stand there tensely.

"Tea's right, we need to let the doctor's do their job…" Rebecca added as Tristan finally took a deep breath and stormed from the room. Someone was going to pay dearly for this. Yugi took four steps from the room before pressing his back against the wall and sliding to the floor. What type of monsters could do such a thing to his friends and his family? If they could do such things coldly than there was no telling what they were capable of. This was clearly a deranged group of individuals and another dangerous situation he had landed himself in. He sighed deeply, his gazed sinking to the floor.

This was the exact type of situation that the Pharaoh would have been helpful but he wasn't there. What was there, however, was his strength and confidence. Yugi only had to find it. A new determined look grew across his face as his mind began to race. What did Shattered Mirror mean? Also, Joey mentioned Obelisk, could he have meant Obelisk the Tormentor? That couldn't possible since that was one of the Pharaoh's monsters. Then his mind clung to a single piece of the past, the Quantum Cube that had been the source of strife and conflict four years earlier. The conflict which resulted in Seto Kaiba's disappearance. Could it be related? Had they inadvertently opened a door to a dangerous place? If so, how would they close that door? Yugi knew one thing, rising from the floor as his friends exited Joey's room; he wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt.


	4. Deliberations

The air hung with the weight of the words that had been exchanged in the secrecy of the tiny room. Six hours had passed since Joey had delivered his message. Six hours had passed since he collapsed. It felt like an eternity had passed before the invigorating new arrives; Joey would recover. Unlike Solomon, he showed no trace of the mysterious substance in his system. The man was simply battered and exhausted. It was the first piece of positive news to arrive all day. However, one thing was certain. This was only the beginning.

The message from the Shattered Mirror had divided the group. Conflict arose via the debate of both the message's meaning as well as the group's intent. Tristan firmly believe it was a group of psychotic duelists that were holding a grudge against Yugi for his voracious rise to the top. Tea, on the other hand, held onto the belief that this was somehow tied to the ancient pharaoh, Atem, who had existed with Yugi for many years. Yugi couldn't deny that that particular though had crossed his mind but he maintained that they hadn't received all the pieces necessary to solve this puzzle. Deep down, he also suspected a connection to Seto Kaiba's disappearance as well as the Quantum Cube. Rebecca had begun doing what she did best; research. She scoured the web for any references to this organization and had thus far been unsuccessful in her endeavors. Silence flooded the room as the sun began its slow descent form the middle of the sky.

"So, what are we going to do?" Tea finally broke the seal of dreadful silence by posing the question plaguing all of their thoughts. She shifted her gaze to Yugi, worry painted across her face. It wasn't fair that such troubles continued to choke Yugi, not after all he had already done for the world. She felt bad for him and the fact that despite his best efforts evil had managed to crawl back into his life. Yet underneath it all, she felt amazement. Amazement at the fact that, despite everything that had already transpired, her friend continued to show courage. His face was not one of a man wallowing in self-pity but of a man preparing to take action. An intense blush spread across her cheeks upon coming to the realization that she had been staring.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tristan responded angrily, "We track down these crazies and stop them from whatever it is that their doing!" He was simply tired of all of this discussion. Words and endless debates weren't going to get them the answers they needed and they certainly weren't going to assist Joey. They had to take action.

"But we don't have anywhere to look," Rebecca pointed out, her eyes still locked to the screen as her fingers danced across the keyboard, "I've been looking everywhere for even a reference to these guys and so far, zip!" Tristan growled as he clenched his fists, holding back the frustration. They were getting nowhere.

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait! We have to do something!" He fumed as he continued to storm around the room. The waiting was simply too much. Yugi looked up, confidence and determination plastered on his face. Too many people had gotten hurt already. Too many people he cared about had been dragged back into the shadows already. This was his trial and he was going to ensure no one else got dragged down into it with him.

"No," Yugi began as he rose from his seat, "I'm sorry but there is no 'we' this time. I'll stop this group. You've all been through this too many times in the past. This is my problem!" Rebecca finally tore her eyes from her screen, looking up at Yugi with a glow in her eyes. It was amazing how Yugi could still be so brae but there was no way she would let him go alone. If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.

"No way, Yugi, we're in this together!" Tristan rebutted as he reassuringly placed his hand upon Yugi's shoulder.

"Yeah, we're a team Yugi!" Tea cried as she too jumped from her seat, "Our friendship can tackle anything that's thrown at us! After all these years, trust me, we're used to it!" Rebecca snatched Yugi's hand, the sudden contact startling him as quick blush spread across his cheeks, and gave it a squeeze.

"And you know you can count on my help, Yugi!" she said warmly, sneaking a quick boastful glance at Tea. Tea simply returned a slightly irritated look as she crossed her arms. Despite the years that had passed, it appeared that some things would never change.

"You can count me in too!" a weak voice came from the hall. The group turned to face the intruder, shock flashing on their collective faces as they saw who it was. It was Joey, who admittedly look better than before but was still battered and bruised.

"Joey!" they all cried as they rushed towards their wounded friend. A doctor and a nurse hovered around him with looks of pure agitation on their faces.

"Sir, you need to rest!" the doctor's voice, filled with anger, boomed over the others. This imbecile was making a mockery of him and he better pay attention if he wanted to recover. Joey let loose a flurry of remarks as he wrestled with the rather tall and lanky physician. Tristan finally decided to jump in.

"Joey, you've got to listen to the doctor!" Tristan interjected as he leapt in to the fray. It quickly became a death match of snarky comments and shoving.

"But Tristan, I feel like a million bucks!" Joey cried out as the two men overpowered him and began to drag him away. He gave Tristan a disgruntled look. Talk about kicking a guy when he's down.

"Yeah? Well, you look like a bent penny!" Tristan shot back as he continued to drag his battered friend back to his room, "You can help us after you get better!" The commotion continued as the trio of individuals crawled around the corner, attracting the curious eyes of many of the floor's patrons. Tea covered her face in shame and embarrassment as she grumbled to herself. Yugi, however, couldn't help but smile. It was great to see that Joey was recovering. As if sensing his thoughts, Rebecca opened her mouth to speak.

"I guess some things never change," Yugi muttered with a halfway grin. He was thankful for that. So much had changed already. Rebecca had grown into a beautiful young woman and was smarter than ever before, Tea was on the rise as a dancer, Joey was a professional duelist, and Tristan was a professional protector. It was reassuring to know that despite all the changes, the core of what had made them friends still existed.

"I'm glad Joey's doing better," she began as she turned away from her computer, "We'll need all the help we can— "Suddenly, what had moments before been a nuisance in the far background began to grow, becoming a chaotic nuisance that rocked the room. All eyes in the room darted to the window, seeking an explanation for the sudden disturbance.

"What on Earth is that?" Tea cried in frustration as she noticed a helicopter rising from below. Why were they so close to the building? They clearly weren't a rescue helicopter.

"Wait a second," Rebecca began mere moments before Yugi spat out the remainder of the sentence.

"That's a KaibaCorp helicopter!" he cried as Rebecca glanced over at him with a smile. Great minds do think alike.

"Why would a KaibaCorp helicopter be landing here now?" Tea inquired. The small group of friends looked to each other. After a few moments of pondering, they quickly elected to journey to the roof to investigate the matter. Yugi could not help but feel this was more than a mere coincidence; that a KaibaCorp helicopter would just happen to land on this hospital mere days after his grandfather's collapse. There was something larger at play here and Yugi was determined to figure out what. The let out a whine as its rusted hinges were again disturbed, being thrust open. The helicopter had already landed, its rotors spitting the warm air in all directions. In front of it stood three men, garbed in high class business attire. The lead man stepped forward, almost unrecognizable with his new short hair, but with a face that was impossible to misplace.

"Mokuba?" Yuig screamed over the overbearing sound of the helicopters whine. It startled him how much he now resembled his older brother. The young man gave him a weak but warm smile.

"It's good to see you again, Yugi Muto!" Mokuba responded has he coolly began to move forward. Before him stood the King of Games himself, an individual who had been kind to him in the past despite the intense rivalry he had shared with his older brother. It was it this moment that it truly struck Mokuba just how fast the years had passed by. Being the CEO of KaibaCorp had sucked all his time from him, the remainder of his childhood, but he desperately tried to fill his missing brother's shoes. In this way, he could stay attached to him. Seeing Yugi, now more than ever, revived those long forgotten feelings. His mind hung on the topic of his brother. The cryptic messages had had found in various places around the world. The strange happenings and whispers within the dueling community. Solomon Muto's attack. They all contained shadows of clues that might trace back to his brother. This was why now, of all times, he had sought Yugi out.

"We need to talk…" Mokuba finished as he extended his hand to shake Yugi's. The truth of the matter was, they both needed the others helps.

* * *

The room was dark and barren save for a single monitor that encompassed the entire front wall. Within it sat a single chair for the user. Light seemed to be banished from the room save for the dim glow from the monitor. The figure had always hated this room. It was a tie to the other side the he sought to desperately escape from. His privilege, however, had come with a price. He had a duty to complete and the boss desired an update. So, he would get one. Taking his seat, he waited. The cold, ice-like air attacked his senses. How he began to long for the sun. Then, in an unbelievable turn of events, the room appeared to get even more frigid as the screen flickered to life, revealing an image of shadow.

"Ah, Agent T. It's good to see you again, my friend," an electronic voice garbled, its words felt devoid of their actual meaning. It was amazing how a message could be so cold when worded in such a way. Yet such subtleties were a specialty of the boss. He had long given up such treasures to ensure he was strong enough to lead. His sacrifice was supposed to be an inspiration. Yet all it conjured was fear.

"Boss," Agent T responded as he bowed his head respectfully, doffing his cloth mask. His face, however, was still conceal in the shadows. He was somewhat thankful for this despite the fact that his boss had long since conquered the shadows. He knew he didn't have to hide. In fact, he had known the boss for years and his boss was well aware of his injuries. It had to be a matter of pride.

"I assume things are going well…" the voice continued, "It has been awhile since your last report and this written report leaves a few…vague details."

"My apologies, sir. The allies of Yugi Muto mobilized more quickly to our push against Solomon Muto than originally anticipated. We've had to modify several timelines. It should be in the written report, sir," Agent T explained, keeping is voice cool and calm despite his rising nerves. Accelerate timelines weren't necessarily bad but they had a tendency to increase the frequency and number of errors. The boss hated errors.

"I know, I have it right in front of me," the voice continued, a shred of irritation in his voice, as the shadow shifted, "Your decision to engage Wheeler was quite reckless and dangerous. It could have been a major setback!"

"Sir, there were no issues. With the Fallen God in my possession— "

"The Fallen God is precisely why it was reckless. We can't afford to lose one of them this early in the game!" the voice boomed angrily. In this game, there was no room for mistakes. He had chosen to play a game with the best players in existence. He couldn't afford to slip up due to the mistake of an old compatriot.

"A thousand apologies, sir!" Agent T bowed his head fearfully. Keep this up and he would be recalled but he couldn't go. Not back there.

"Still, you've done well modifying the timelines. Also, you defeated Wheeler, a difficult adversary, despite your arrogance," the voice added with a sigh as a wave of calm and relief flooded Agent T. Agent T felt the air of relief escape his lungs. He would be safe for now. Recall was something every agent on this side feared. It was not a prospect any looked forward to.

"Thank you, sir. How are we on Project Rebirth?" Agent T asked as his mind returned to its previous militant level. Professionalism and pride would win back the bosses respect. That was the only way to ensure his own safety.

"Delay," the voice boomed with frustration, "The Prisoners escape has slowed our progress on the Gateway immeasurably. Intercepting him and confiscating his gear is what put us on this path in the first place and I'd hate to make another rash decision before the technology is ready." For once, Agent T was grateful for the veil of shadow protecting his face as he raised his arm, gingerly touching the side of his face. The first Gateway had been flawed and prone to turbulence. Never before had he ever encounter such trauma.

"Since his escape, he' done nothing but try to return to his side but we have possession of all of his belonging, including his beloved deck," the voice continued, "How are we on Yugi Muto?"

"My sources tell me he is with Mokuba Kaiba on their way to KaibaCorp and that both are actively looking for us, "Agent T responded, "In fact, my spies tell me that Mokuba Kaiba plans to use another Duel Monster's Tournament to 'lure his brother's kidnappers' out of hiding."

"Hmmm….and what is the name of this tournament?" the voice inquired, the image distorting as the boss began to scratch his chin deep in thought.

"The KaibaCorp Rebirth Tournament," Agent T replied flatly.

"How fitting…" the boss muttered, "Then by all means, ensure his plan succeeds. Send a representative to this little tournament!"

"Should I handle this personally?" Agent T inquired.

"No. Your arrogance has already risked one of the Fallen Gods already and while its exposure has strengthened our message we must be cautious," the voice continued as a new imaged flashed on the screen, "Send him in your stead. They'll never anticipate it."

"Yes, sir," Agent T finished as he bowed his head, "And sir? Why Yugi Muto? He's no threat to our plans." The boss let out a wicked howl of laughter, one that even sent a chill down Agent T's spine.

"Let's just say, its personal," the voice finished coldly as the screen cut off and the room was left shrouded in darkness yet again.

* * *

The city looked rather small from above as Yugi stared blankly out the window. Though his face didn't show it, he was lost in thought. He and his friends and decided that he would go with Mokuba while the rest of the group would remain behind and watch over their fallen friends and family. It had been a difficult decision but a necessary one. Yugi had to figure out why Mokuba had come and was determined to ask Mokuba for assistance. Mokuba was quick to divulge the information he felt Yugi needed to know. He had spared no details during the trip from the hospital to KaibaCorp headquarters. He had elected to tell Yugi everything, even the things he didn't want to share.

It appeared as though this incident had actually started four years ago when Seto decided to use the Quantum Cube, as well as his new technologies, in an attempt to transcend the mortal realm. His goals were simple, yet seemingly impossible, and he was committed to finding Atem. It didn't shock Yugi to hear that Seto had gone so far, he was always a man of determination. What had surprised him, however, was when he learned that Seto had decided to move forward despite his brother's protests. Mokuba meant the world to him and surely he would never do anything that would put his brother in harm's way. That had to mean emotional harm, too. Yet, he still had gone through with. Would he have done so if he had known what the result would be? Would knowing that after the first month his body and the cube would mysteriously vanish, leaving Mokuba in a world filled with sorrow, sway his decision. It appeared as though a dark shadow had drifted over Mokuba's life the moment he decided to go through with it.

Afterwards, Mokuba utilized all of KaibaCorp's pull and influence to scour the globe in what appeared to be a vain attempt to find his brother. Nothing would come of it. It appeared as though his brother had simply vanished. All that had been left behind was a computer file filled with Seto's old projects and ideas. Mokuba had even scoured them for some clue or perhaps even a method of finding his brother. All he found were the schematics to some sort of Academy for dueling and schematics for new gaming consoles. There was nothing for him to follow and yet he refused to believe Seto had simply abandoned him. He was certain his big brother would return to him. So, he pushed Seto's project forward. It was the only way for him to feel connected to his brother. Still, he always kept the eyes of KaibaCorp open for any clues.

Over time, ripples or rumors began to spread across the dueling community like wildfire. Rumors of strange individuals sporting extremely rare cards with vague backgrounds. Even those with identities felt fake, as if they didn't belong. Evidence appeared to dictate that even those with electronic backgrounds had had those backgrounds doctored in some ways. In fact, some seemed entirely fake. These individuals seemed to multiply and infiltrate every facet of the dueling world, from tournaments to gaming companies. Their voracity was only matched by their tenacity and it appeared as if they were searching desperately for something. Just what, however, was still a mystery. At the time, Mokuba had simply shrugged them off, believing them to be the remnants of Marik's Rare Hunters. Still, he kept tabs on them. You can never be too suspicious…his brother had taught him that much. Years began to fly by with nothing more than whispers in the wind. That would all changed a few weeks prior to the present.

It all began with a business deal with Mirrorside Incorporated, a small console vendor in the Americas. It was simply another business deal and one of thousands Mokuba had facilitated over the years. Mokuba had burned through thousands of pages of documents blindly before one day he noticed something. It was subtle but for some reason Mokuba couldn't shake the urge to look for it. The first letter of every page in a mammoth document formed a single name. One that had an inextricable tie to his dear brother.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

By all accounts, he shouldn't have notice it but he had. Call it fate or call it luck, Mokuba didn't care. It was just the light of hope he needed to burn away the darkness that had consumed his heart since his brother left. It was all he needed to find the strength to continue his search. That one statement was enough to affirm, in Mokuba's eyes, that Seto was still out there waiting to be found. So, he began to scour numerous documents and found similar messages, all them appeared to be pleading for assistance. Unfortunately, when he pushed Mirrorside Incorporated for answers they cancelled the contract and vanished. At the same time, they went underground, so too did various members of the dueling community, all individuals who had made miraculous climbs to the top in the recent years. Such a sudden occurrence couldn't be a coincidence and it couldn't be a coincidence that Solomon Muto and Joey Wheeler, both important individuals in the life of the King of Games himself, found themselves in dire situations shortly thereafter. It was all connected. Besides, in the past, whenever anything freaky happened it seemed like Yugi was always in the center of it all.

Whoever these people were, they were clearly targeting Yugi. For a personal vendetta or to take down the King of Games, Mokuba didn't know or really care. It was a way for him to find his brother. That was all that mattered. So, he devised a brilliant plan. This organization had infiltrated every facet of the professional dueling world. This was world, coincidentally, belonged to Mokuba and Yugi. The names KaibaCorp and Yugi Muto could move mountains in that world. Their influence within it was remarkable. So, Mokuba would use that influence. If he threw a Duel Monster tournament with the King of Games himself, odds were that at least one member of this group would attend. Those that didn't would fall under the spotlight and ridicule of duel fans and media around the world. If there were one thing creeps like them hate, its exposure. Even if they attempted to go deeper underground, they would be notice by the ever vigilant eyes of the Kaiba Corporation. Eventually, a string would be found, a loose end that would lead back to the heart of this organization. It was foolproof and it would work. It had to work but the only way it could work was it Yugi agreed to participate. Yugi had promised to give his final answer upon landing and Mokuba had decided not to push the subject, yet. Mokuba sat patiently as he watched Yugi silently making up his mind. He would say yes, Mokuba was sure of it.

It would be the KaibaCorp Rebirth Tournament. While the media would maintain that it was the Kaiba Corporation attempting to return to its former glory as the renowned tournament hosts, it would secretly server Mokuba's agenda. He would invite the top ranked duelist around the world and have them battle for a shot at the title. This would bring the spirits of all those he had invited and in doing so would reveal which individuals to target. This wouldn't be an innocent game of Duel Monsters but a vicious cage match to discover who the true enemies of the Kaiba family are. Once they could be identified, they could be taken out and used to track down the head of this wicked snake. For too long had it grown in the grass, devouring the world his brother had held so dear. For too long had it held Seto hostage. He would use this tournament to not only Rebirth his brother but his brother's legacy. It would propel Seto back to the glory he deserved and everything would return to the way it was supposed to be.

Where Mokuba's mind was calm, Yugi's was full of turmoil. This threat had apparently been growing over the year's and yet Yugi had failed to notice. This dark fact unleashed many feelings of discomfort and regret. Sure, he had faded out of the dueling world over the years but he had always kept up with current events. He knew all the faces, names and famous cards of the newest elite duelists. In fact, he had even grown fond of some the newcomers and had considered himself a fan. To think these duelists could be associated with a group that would target his friends and family. This news brought forth new feelings of disgust and anger. He would avenge his grandfather and stop them at any cost. Still, there were many questions and it appeared the only question that had been answered was an irrelevant one; why had no one challenged Yugi over the years. Perhaps they had been ordered not to.

But why? What was the end game? Similarly, Yugi had shared all he knew of the group as well as the events that had transpired with Mokuba, yet Mokuba had no answers. Just what was it they wanted with him and the world?

"We're beginning our descent to headquarters, sir!" the pilot announced, his voice booming over the speakers in the cabin. Yugi would have to make a decision soon. Mokuba began to tap his feet impatiently. Yugi had better not flake on him. Not now. This was too important. This was Seto.

"Are you in?" Mokuba finally broke down, desperation in the soul of his words, "Or out?" Yugi shifted slightly. There was only one aspect of Mokuba's plan that Yugi disliked. It involved his friends. The downside of being friends with some of the best duelists in the world was that those very duelists could get dragged into trouble with you. Rebecca and Joey were ranked high enough to warrant invitation to this tournament, to do otherwise would raise suspicion. Beside, Mokuba maintained that it would be advantageous to have friendly eyes across the tournament and allies in the crowd. Unfortunately, this mean his friend would inevitably find themselves in the line of fire. This was a concept Yugi wanted to avoid at all cost. Over the years, he had led his friends into countless troubles and risked the lives of not only himself but of those he held dearest.

Thinking of his friends conjured up an image of the Pharaoh and feelings of great conflict. Hadn't they already rid their world of evil and darkness? Yugi had passed the test. He had defeated the Pharaoh and proved that he was ready to be on his own. What he hadn't anticipated was taking on Atem's mantle of responsibility. That mantle was supposed to be rendered after the defeat of Zorc and yet here he stood. The helicopter's descent seemed to drag on, the seconds slipping like mud through a steel gate. Mokuba looked on with desperation.

This man held his last hope. All he cared about was finding his brother and bringing him home. The thought of Seto being caught in such a situation that he had actually asked for help made Mokuba sick to his stomach. His brother was a very self-reliant man and despised the thought of relying on others. To send such a message, even to family, wreaked of desperation and Mokuba wasn't going to allow this to go on. He needed to help his brother. He would do so with or without the help of Yugi Muto. The helicopter finally touched down. This was it. This moment would define the coming days, weeks, months, or possibly years but there was no going back. There was no going back when this group decided to target his friends and kidnap Seto Kaiba. There was no going back when this group viciously targeted an innocent and defenseless old man to get to his grandson. There was no going back once this group cowardly struck down his best friend in the shadows. They had crossed the lines and that warranted the harshest of judgement. The Pharaoh may be gone but his strength and courage still remained. As did his belief in justice.

"I'm in," Yugi spoke confidently as he stared intently into Mokuba's eyes. Both had had their families trifled with and both were going to ensure that it would never happen again.


	5. Gambling Man

"Is he safe?" Yugi asked, determined, as he continued down the dark hallway at a very brisk pace. To his right strolled an individual of similar height with dark hair clad in a business suit. It was difficult to imagine that a week had already passed since he agreed to this scheme and it had been a busy week at that. The most frustrating aspect remained the publicity. Promoting this tournament was the only way they could ever hope to gain the attention of the gang they had decided to hunt. As such, Yugi had appeared on almost every talk show and media outlet in the world and the world was ecstatic; the King of Games had returned.

"Yes, I told you, your grandfather has been moved to a KaibaCorp facility and is under the watchful eyes of the world's best physicians," Mokuba responded while not even looking at Yugi and instead keeping his gaze fixed ahead. The stakes were high and Mokuba was determined to fall on the side of the victors. Additionally, he was a man of his word. He had promised Solomon Muto the best care in the world and he was going to deliver. Solomon was being kept in a secure facility where only the most trusted associates of Mokuba could know where he is. The pieces were being placed on the board and the game was about to begin. This was just another game of chess and while that had always been Seto's forte, Mokuba had always been a vicious player.

"Besides, my grandfather will be right at his side!" cut in the voice of the excited Rebecca Hawkins as she quickened her step to match that of the two men she found herself walking with. It had also been an incredibly taxing week or research for her as well. She had spent most of the week assisting Yugi directly and she was grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time with him but she would have preferred it under different circumstances. Still, this was a struggle she was confident they would win. After all, Yugi always won and this was going to be no exception.

"So, is everyone assembled?" Mokuba grasped his collar, speaking into the microphone it contained. The day had finally come to start moving the pieces on the board and begin this dastardly game.

"Yes, sir. The duelists and the media crews have already set up on the Observation Deck," Roland's voice broke over the microphone. A smirk spread across Mokuba's face. Things were finally ready.

"In that case, I better get down there," Rebecca began before quickly grasping Yugi's hand and giving it a squeeze, "We're going to get through this and everything is going to be fine. Don't forget to root for me!" Yugi responded with the most reassuring smile he could muster. It still didn't sit well that so many of his friends were going to be put in the line of fire. Joey was already down on the dueling line scoping out the competition. He wasn't fully recovered but had insisted on his participation anyway. Yugi watched as Rebecca darted down an adjacent corridor as a thought spread across his mind. He truly was grateful to have such committed and wonderful friends. He owed them so much.

"Be careful!" Mokuba called out as he began to shift his collar around. Presentation was as much a part of this as dueling. The pair stopped before a door, the low roar of a prospective audience emanated from beyond as the two took a deep breath. This was going to be one of the most important, and possibly dangerous, steps in their lives. So many people depended on their success. Solomon, Seto, and any other victims claimed by this mysterious entity that had decided to target them. This time, things would be different. This time, things would be done on their terms. Yugi took a deep breath before looking at Mokuba and with a nod the two burst through the door. The light and sun was blinding as their eyes struggled to adjust. Without skipping a beat, Mokuba reached for a nearby microphone and gazed at the crowd. They were standing on the flagship of KaibaCorp's luxury cruisers, the Maiden of Blue, docked in the port of San Francisco. This was the largest and most luxurious of their new line of gaming cruise vessels, complete with full scale duel arena's and duel spaces. It was this vessel that would travel two days to a secret location, over the course of which competitors would weed out the innocent before proceeding to the finals. Finals that Mokuba had taken steps to ensure it would be out of this world. Mokuba owed that much to his brother.

"Ladies and Gentleman, the time has finally come!" Mokuba's voice boomed over the speakers as a crowed of the elite that had been invited aboard cried out in ecstasy. Joey glanced up at the podium, his eyes fighting against the sun's overwhelming rays. With a scoff, all he could do was shake his head. Seems like both Kaiba brothers were prima donnas with a flair for the dramatic. It all seemed a little unnecessary to Joey. Why couldn't they just duel and get it over with.

"After five long years since a Kaiba Corporation International Duel Monster's tournament, it is time to once again climb to the top of the dueling world with a contest that will literally be out of this world. Our company, and indeed the dueling community, has gone through a lot in the recent years. However, I stand here to assure all of you that we remain the titans of the entertainment industry!" Mokuba rambled on as the crowd fell silent, hanging on his every word, "This year is the year of new beginning's, a Rebirth if you will. Like the great Phoenix we will rise from the ashes of the old to build the new. This year…I am pleased to announce…marks not only the return of the Kaiba Corporation to the world of Professional Dueling…but the return of the greatest person to ever grace the game of Duel Monsters…the King of Games himself…Yugi Muto!"

Stepping to the side, Mokuba beckoned for Yugi to step out into the spotlight. With one timid step, Yugi was greeted by the overwhelming applause of his many fans. Yugi smirked and attempted to conceal his nervousness with a wave but scanned the crowd of duelists that had assembled before him. Despite the pompous circumstance, his original motivations remained firmly in place. The world thought it was getting a friendly tournament when in reality it was going to be watching a war. Rebecca gazed up a Yugi in awe. He always had this effect on people but before too much time had passed, Mokuba stepped in and began to introduce the other competitors. It was a long list of duelist, most of whom Rebecca was strangely unfamiliar with.

There was Ryan "the Gambler" Holdem, a duelist who had recently mastered a new line of gambling cards. Before he entered the arena of Duel Monsters, he was quite well known as a master poker player and had even won several Texas Hold'Em tournaments in Las Vegas. It was highly suspected that his rise to stardom would result in far more professional gamblers turning to Duel Monsters as another avenue of revenue. He stood rather tall with brown hair and a well-groomed beard. Despite being the European champion, he spoke with a rather thick Southern-American accent.

Then, there was the Great Masked Magician who was well known for his army of Spellcasters and his ability to paralyze his opponents with magic and traps. An odd quirk was that no one knew his name and it was a closely guarded secret of his. This had set off many red flags the week prior and currently the Great Masked Magician stood atop of their list of suspects. Like the rest of his past, this man was a complete and utter mystery.

After that, there was Jeremy "Sarge" Jones who was the South African champion. He had apparently immigrated to South Africa at the end of a service commitment with the United States military. He had apparently spent a lot of time in Africa and had decided to stay, climbing the rungs of their dueling ladder. Strangely though, his record appeared to have been at the very least modified if not completely fabricated. Rebecca had simply found his record too bland for that of a star duelist which suggested he had something to hide. The list continued to grow and grow. It seemed that they had successfully assembled a group of upcoming elite duelists. She and Joey would have to play their cards right if they wanted to get to the bottom of it. Mokuba continued his speech as he went down the line of duelists before pausing and looking to Yugi.

"And lastly, we have Yugi Muto! The winner of this tournament will get the distinct honor of challenging the King of Games for a shot at his coveted title!" Mokuba continued before handing the microphone to Yugi, "Yugi, would please say a few words!" Yugi swallowed his nervousness as he grasped the microphone, channeling the confidence he had learned from Atem. Unlike the last KaibaCorp tournament when he had been far too nervous to speak, he would at least part with a few words.

"Welcome, duelists, to the most important tournament of your life," Yugi began as the word floated from his mouth, "I look forward to watching each of you over the next few days and seeing how in tune you are with your decks. Those who duel for the right reasons, with honor and a belief in the heart of the cards, will find that the games will take care of themselves. Those who don't will find that they just aren't up to the challenge. Good luck!"

"I couldn't have put it better myself!" Mokuba spoke quickly after Yugi finished, "Without further ado, it is time to begin the KaibaCorp Rebirth tournament!" A large monitor that sat below the podium suddenly flashed to life with a roulette wheel consisting of profile images of the duelists. In mere moments it began to spin, getting ready to select the first pairs of duelists who would kick start this tournament. Yugi watched as the wheel continued to spin endlessly as he desperately wished for it to stop. It began to slow but continued to drag on in an agonizing display of chance. Finally, it landed and within moments it began to spin again before selecting its next victim.

"The first match-up will be "Jumpin" Joey Wheeler against Ryan "the Gambler" Holdem!" Mokuba announced as the wheel continued to select victims for the first round of the tournament. Yugi's heart dropped as he watched with anticipation. Perhaps he shouldn't have gotten his friends involved. Any of these other duelists could end up being the villain they were seeking. In an instant any of these duels could get bloody.

"After that, Rebecca Hawkins will square up against the Great Masked Magician!" Mokuba continued as Yugi's heart plummeted. The Great Masked Magician was on the top of their suspect list and Rebecca had pulled him on the first match. He couldn't bear it if anything bad happened to her, especially if it was his fault. Worried, he glanced down at Rebecca who merely returned a warm, confident smile. She found it sweet that he was worried about her but she wasn't a heavy hitter in the dueling world because of her charm. She could handle this guy. The wheel continued to spit out names but Yugi no longer cared. His two friends already had their matches and those were the only ones he cared about. The ship listed as it began to move away from shore.

"Ladies and Gentleman, the first round's competitors have been picked and games will start in one hour on the Duel Deck!" Mokuba announced as the warm, salty breeze passed through the deck. For a brief moment, Yugi allowed himself to simply enjoy that feeling before being shaken it out of it by Mokuba's next announcement.

"Joey Wheeler…Ryan Holdem, you each have one hour to prepare before you are required to be at the Duel Deck. If you are late, you will be disqualified," Mokuba finished as the two duelists began to stare each other down, "It's time…for the KaibaCorp Rebirth tournament to begin…I'll see you both on the Duel Deck." Without missing a beat, Mokuba abruptly turned and reentered the ship. He had maneuvered his pieces perfectly and now he had moved his first pawn. Only time would tell who would win this dangerous game, the KaibaCorp Rebirth tournament had begun.

* * *

"Are you kidding me," Joey cried out defensively, "He's a poker player Yuge, I've got this guy!" The group of friends had found themselves converged in Joey's room. It was rather large with a huge queen sized bed, large bathroom, hot tub, mini-bar, and all of the amenities. Joey's cards lay scattered about the bed as he began to race through his strategies.

"You're a great duelist, Joey, I'm just saying be careful," Yugi began, concern clinging to his voice.

"Yeah, dude, and remember it was these dudes who put you in the hospital," Tristan added as he put his hand on Joey's shoulder. Joey jerked away, frustrated.

"Is that what this is about?" Joey cried, "For the last time, I'm fine!"

"Besides, Tristan, we don't even know if this guy is a part of the group," Tea interjected before Rebecca's voice came from the door.

"That just makes him more dangerous, Tea, at this point everyone is a suspect and they have the element of surprise in their favor," Rebecca spoke calmly as she entered the room with her duel disk and deck. Yugi turned to face her.

"You're ready to go already?" he asked as she scratched the back of her head nervously. He always had that effect on her.

"Yeah, I already traded out some of my cards and I know how I plan on beating this guy," Rebecca responded, "I came here to check on Joey." Joey let out another wail of frustration.

"Are you hoppin aboard this train too?" Joey whined as he collapsed to the ground. He was glad that his friends were worried about him but this wasn't exactly the best thing for his confidence. For so many years he had been the underdog but things were different now. He was a professional duelist and he had the skills to play the game. He didn't need everyone to doubt him. He knew he would win.

"Joey, it's not that we don't believe in you," Yugi began, sensing his friend's inner-frustration, "We're just worried about you because of what happened but I know you'll win. As long as you believe in your deck and the heart of the cards, there is no way you can lose!"

"Unless it's the guy who punked him last time…" Tristan muttered under his breath. Within moments Tristan found himself in Joey's grasp.

"What'd you say?! That's it!" Joey cried as the two began to scuffle. A smirk grew across all of their faces. No matter how dire the situation would become, they could always count on these two to stay light. How else could you explain their constant quarrelling? Rebecca glanced over at Yugi with a concerned look. She knew how much this tournament would weigh on Yugi's mind. He had already been through so much and it didn't seem fair that he would have to add this to the ever growing list of his problems. Her eyes shifted across to Tea who also appeared to be staring at Yugi. Perhaps the same things were crossing her mind. Rebecca scoffed slightly, for she had thought about Yugi's troubles first. Everyone's thoughts would quickly be interrupted as the intercom boomed overhead.

"Will the first two duelists please report to the Duel Deck immediately," Roland's voice echoed. Joey ripped himself from his buddy's aggressive grip with excited as he slid on his duel disk and scooped up his cards. Adrenaline and anticipation began to flow through his veins at the thought of his next challenge. It was time for him to make his name known around the world. The remainder of the group exchanged glances before rushing down the hallway after their excited friend.

* * *

The Duel Deck itself was rather incredible. It had been built into the bottom of the boat and feature an extensive array of glass which allowed people to view the oceanic life below. In the center was a dueling arena that supported duel disk and standard arena play. As the group entered, all except Joey found themselves ushered into the grand seats overlooking the arena where Mokuba was already waiting.

"Good luck Joey, we're all rooting for you!" Yugi spoke out as he began to walk away. Similar cries of support left his party as Joey gave them a confident thumbs-up. He looked like someone who had come to win. He darted to his side of the arena as the crowd began to take their seats, camera's and lights zoomed in on the pair of duelists. Upon reaching his stand, Joey began to eye his opponent. Sure he was a snappy dresser but Joey wasn't impressed. It took more than style to win a duel.

"So, you're Joseph Wheeler," the man spoke through a thick southern accent, "I hear you're actually quite the gambler but let me tell you something, son, if you try that stuff with me than you'll fail!"

"Oh yeah? Well, we'll see about that because Lady Luck has never let me down!" Joey cried out in response as his duel disk snapped together.

"Interesting…she never lets me down either, boy. I guess we'll see which one she prefers…" Ryan finished calmly as he placed his deck on the arena pad, "Like any true gambler, I decline the use of a Duel Disk…I find it too constricting…" Joey scratched the back of his head in confusion. Just where on Earth did they manage to find this guy? If he was strictly an arena style duelist he couldn't have gotten far. After all, duel disks were the way of the future.

"I guess so!" Joey cried out as he slapped his deck into his duel disk and prepared to play his cards. In the stands, Yugi and his friends watch anxiously as they waited in agony for the duel to begin.

"Hey Yugi, Joey can win this right?" Tristan asked, concerned for his friend. It was one thing to duel in a tournament this large and with the corresponding pressure but it was another to do it while still recovering from injury. Yugi gave Tristan a determined look, responding to his query with a firm nod. There was no doubt Joey could win. People may view him as the underdog but the thing about underdogs is that they always seemed to pull through somehow and the same was true with Joey.

"Come on Joey!" Tea cried out, "You got this!" Joey looked up with a wave before glaring at his opponent. There was no doubt he could do this. Mokuba rose from his seats as he prepared to start moving the pieces on his metaphorical chess board.

"Let the duel commence!" Mokuba's voice boomed as both player's lifepoint counter rose to four thousand. The players quickly drew their cards and eyes their hands, mentally mapping out their first plays.

"I hope you're ready for some pain, tough guy," Joey boasted as he grinned at his hands, "Because this hand is going to wipe the floor with you!"

"First, son, I think we should settle a score…" Ryan responded coolly as he pulled a shiny, silver coin from his pocket, "How 'bout I flip this here coin? Heads, I go first, and Tails you go first."

"Fine by me, I never lose at these games!" Joey cried back. With a grin Ryan tossed the coin in the air, watching as it defied gravity in hung at the top of its arch before crashing down. Covering it with his hand, he stared Joey in the eyes as a grin spread across his face.

"Well, boy, the first thing you gotta learn 'bout life is; there's a first time for everything," he spoke calmly as he removed his hand and looked at the coin; heads.

"What?!" Joey cried before shaking his head, "Oh well, so you get to go first. That won't save you!"

"I disagree," Ryan replied as he pulled his first card from his deck, "First, I'll summon a monster facedown and to make sure he isn't lonely, I'll place one card facedown!" Ryan tore the cards from his hand as he slapped them onto the arena mat. Before him materialized both of his facedown cards, cards that would bring him one step closer to the jackpot.

"Next, I'll activate my Cup of Ace!" he announced as he slid another card onto the map causing a large cup that contained a coin, "Here's how it works. I get to toss a coin and if I call it correctly I get to draw two more cards."

"What if you call it incorrectly?" Joey questioned as Ryan let out a cool laugh.

"I won't," he began as the cup spat out a virtual coin which hung in the air, "Tails" After a few moments, the large holographic coin sputtered across the ground before landing on heads. Joey shook his head in disbelief. It was one thing to win at gamble but to successfully win a coin toss twice in a row was uncommon. Yugi shook his head as he gazed in. The duel was still young and it was far from certain but this amount of luck made this "Gambler" exceptionally dangerous. Ryan pulled two more cards from his deck and added them to his hand.

"I think that'll be all for now, son," Ryan finished as he crossed his arms. Joey ripped a card from his deck and added it to his hand.

"It's about time!" Joey announced as he scanned his hand. Unfortunately, his claim to have a stellar hand wasn't as true as he would have liked. He couldn't afford to let his opponent know that he had drawn poor cards and he couldn't afford to let the world know either. This was not only an important duel for him to help Yugi but also himself. If he made a fool of himself here, he'd never recover. This was his chance to prove he wasn't an underdog. He continued to scan his hand, weighing the options in his mind.

"Now, Joseph, I do hope you weren't lying about your hand, boy," Ryan mocked, placing his hands on his hips, "If so, might I say that is a terrible bluff!"

"Will you shut up and let me play the game?" Joey cried out defensively, snapping three cards from his hand, "I'll summon one monster in defense mode, place two cards facedown, and then end my turn!"

"Never play poker, son," Ryan taunted as he pulled another card from his deck, "I flip-summon my Dice Jar!" The card on his field disappeared and was replaced by a menacing look jar that appeared to contain two dice, one red and one green. It shook, the sound of the dice clacking against its innards echoing across the arena. Joey grimaced as he braced himself for whatever effect would come next.

"Now, let me explain. This jar is going roll two dice. The player who rolls the higher number is safe. However, the player who rolls the lower number will take damage equal to two hundred points time whatever was rolled unless I roll a six, in which case you lose two thousand life points. I'll take the green die of course," Ryan explained as the wicked jar spat out the two dice which bounced across the floor. Joey strained as he stared at his dice, pouring his will into its roll. Finally, the two die stopped.

"Yeah!" Joey cried out in triumph, "A four beats your three, so much for lady luck!"

"Now, son, a true gambler doesn't play until the odds are in his favor," Ryan rebutted as he flipped a card on his mat, "I activate Dice Re-Roll. This card allows me to re-roll either player's dice rolls once per turn. So, let's try this again!" The card rose from the ground, sucking up Joey's red die before spitting it back out. It tumbled and rolled across the table before landing on a two.

"A two?!" Joey spat out in frustration as he pulled on his hair. If he didn't turn his luck around fast, he might lose a roll that really matters.

"That's right, son. Which means you lose four hundred life points," Ryan added as Joey's lifepoints dropped to thirty-six hundred. Joey had to turn this thing around.

"I'll summon another creature facedown and play another face down card," Ryan finished as two new cards flashed into existence on the field. Joey pulled another card from his deck before gazing at the field and then back at his hand. Fiend Megacyber was more than powerful enough to turn the game around and Joey had his Time Wizard out as a line of defense against Ryan's growing army of monsters. He could simply sacrifice his Time Wizard and attack his foe's Dice Jar which was stuck in Attack Mode. With twenty-two hundred attack points, Fiend Megacyber would decimate Ryan's lifepoints and cut them in half. Then again, Joey could try and use his Time Wizard's special effect to get rid of all of Ryan's monsters. Even if he failed and lost his own Time Wizard, he would only lose two hundred and fifty lifepoints and be able to special summon the Fiend Megacyber anyway. If Joey gambled and won, he'd be able to attack Ryan directly with the Fiend Megacyber. It seemed like low risk and high reward. Besides, there was no way Ryan could be that lucky and Joey felt like gambling

"I flip summon my good friend, the Time Wizard!" Joey cried as his beast leapt forth from his card.

"What is Joey doing?" Tristan cried, "He's lost the last three games of chance to this guy and he's going to try again?" Yugi raised an eyebrow. It did seem like a risky move unless Joey had pulled something helpful. If he failed the toss and neglected to have a beast in reserve, he would be wide open to a direct attack. This was a very risky move.

"Time for Lady Luck to give me some love!" Joey announced as the roulette wheel began to spin. Sweat glistened at his brow as it continued to spin. Joey glanced over at his opponent, the mere sight of him pushing him closer to a fit of rage. Ryan looked so calm and collected, it was almost as if he knew he was going to win. Another smug, larger than life character who Joey was going to dethrone. After a few seconds of rotating, it finally slowed to a halt. Joey's heart dropped. A skull. He just couldn't win.

"I told you, son, Lady Luck favors me," Ryan mocked with a shrug as Joey's Time Wizard self-destructed, leaving Joey with no monsters and thirty-three hundred and fifty lifepoints. Joey grimaced as the holographic debris peppered his face.

"Joey!" Tea cried with concern. This duel didn't appear to be going in Joey's direction and concern for her friend gripped her heart. With a glance at Tea, Rebecca decided to interject.

"Come on, Joey, you're a better player than that!" Rebecca yelled, "Now hurry up and beat this guy!" Joey gave his friends a frustrated look.

"I know what I'm doing!" Joey roared as he tore a card from his hand, "I summon The Fiend Megacyber in attack mode!" His large beast rose to life as it began to stare down Ryan's dice jar. Yugi gave a slight chuckle as the intricacies of Joey's gamble became apparent to him. It had been a risk but it was a relatively low one that could have really payed off. Joey truly had come a long way as a professional duelist.

"Great job, Joey, way to play!" Yugi called out with a smile. His friend was still in this fight.

"Care to fill us in, Yugi?" Tristan asked, confused. It seemed like a rather foolish move to him but then again he wasn't a duelist. Yugi began to explain to Tristan the components of Joey's gamble and how it could have really paid off.

"Looks like either way, you're losing half of your stinkin lifepoints!" Joey roared as his breast sprinted forth and with one mighty swing demolished Ryan's dice jar. The gambler stayed calm and composed as his lifepoints dropped to two thousand. This calm demeanor was enough to really push Joey over the edge.

"You can at least act worried!" Joey cried out in frustration, "Most people don't like getting their butts kicked!"

"Why, Joseph, I still have plenty of chips left and a good gambler perfects his poker face," Ryan explained as he pulled his next card. A smirk spread across his face as he read the card. It was the perfect way to drive his golden blade through this imbecile's heart.

"Seeing as you had little success, I think I'll give it a go," Ryan continued as he slid another card into play, "I summon Time Wizard in attack mode." Joey's jaw dropped. The Time Wizard was an incredibly rare card and not everyone had one. Plus, if this guy kept going the way he had been, his Time Wizard would surely succeed. Joey had never before encountered someone so lucky.

"Time Roulette, go!" Ryan cried as his Time Wizard sprang into action. The crowd hung on the edge of their seats as the arrow continued to rotate. This duel had been a duel of gambles and it seemed that Ryan had the clear advantage. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see someone triumph over luck so many times and everyone was anxious to see if the man would do it again. Joey grimaced as he looked on. It seemed like Ryan wouldn't lose. If it wasn't for KaibaCorp's top notch security, he would swear the man was cheating. Did he really have an inside relationship with luck itself? The Time Wizard's arrow finally halted; a Time Jump. Joey's shoulder merely slumped over. Ryan had won again.

"I told you, boy, the lovely lady favors me!" Ryan announced as his Time Wizard thrust its staff into the ground. In an instance a vortex appeared, sucking Joey's only monster through eons of time. Joey watched helplessly as his last line of defense disappeared. Things were not looking good.

"Now, I think I'll have my Time Wizard attack you directly," Ryan cried out as his Time Wizard charged forth, pelting Joey with the end of his staff. Pain shot down through his back as he fell to one knee. This had been the first direct attack he had experience since the hospital. He bit his tongue as he attempted to push back the pain, rising from the ground as his eyes glued themselves to Ryan. Joey's lifepoints dropped to twenty-eight hundred and fifty. Ryan shook his head as he watched the younger man rise to his feet.

"Boy, if you can't handle one direct attack, you should consider another profession," Ryan mocked as he flipped another card face up, "To make things worse, I flip summon my Dice Jar and you know what that means."

"Yeah, you're gonna try and win another dice toss," Joey grumbled with frustration. How could lady luck have abandoned him? It didn't matter. People always told Joey that he won his duels based on luck. Well, this one would prove them all wrong. This duel would prove to the world that Joey Wheeler could win even when luck was against him.

"Exactly, now let's see those numbers!" Ryan continued as the Dice Jar spat out two other dice. Yugi found himself holding his breath as the two die rolled across the field. Things hadn't been working out for Joey in the luck department and Dice Jar had the potential to deal a lot of damage. Joey's red die began to slow before finally settling on the number and in an instant, Joey's spirits rose.

"A five!" Joey screamed as he jumped up in glee. There was only one number that could beat him and Ryan had a one in six chance of rolling it. The odds, this time, appeared to be stacked in Joey's favor. It was about time. The green die continued to roll, Ryan crossing his arms coolly as he continued to watch it roll. Ryan wasn't scared for he knew how to gamble and with Dice Re-Roll on the field he could easily change the outcome of the game. Still, Ryan enjoyed the thrill of the game and not knowing what was going to happen. His die began to slow and finally settled on its own number, one which sent the crowd to its feet. In an outburst of deafening noise, the hype within the room could not be contained. Ryan had rolled a six.

"You've got to be kidding!" Tristan whined, flailing his arms in the air, "he's got to be cheating! This is impossible!"

"He's not, our systems are the most secure on the planet!" Mokuba interjected as he shook his head in disbelief, "Any tampering would have been discovered. He really is just that lucky!"

"Nobody is that lucky, Mokuba!" Rebecca responded as she pulled out her backpack and began to fish for her laptop, "The statistical likelihood of winning that many games of chance in a row is so low you'd have better odds of breathing without oxygen."

"Don't think I'm going to let you plug into our systems just because your friend is losing!" Mokuba spoke firmly as Rebecca finally found her laptop, "That would be a gross violation of tournament rules!"

"Come on, Mokuba, just let me run some numbers!" Rebecca pleaded. She was a very logical person and sought an answer to this unbelievable stroke of luck. It was almost impossible for this man to have won every single gamble since the beginning of the game. Besides, she was a genius and could probably upgrade KaibaCorp's crummy software. She didn't want to get kicked out of the tournament, however, because then she would be letting Yugi down. There was just no way that Joey should have lost so many gambles.

"No, I'll have Roland double check the system but that is all," Mokuba finished as he firmly turned his attention back to the duel. Even he had to admit that this stroke of luck seemed pretty farfetched but there was no way someone had hacked into his systems. He had hired the best computer security specialists in the world for this tournament and his system was almost air-tight. There was simply no way that a breach could have occurred and if it had, he would have been notified immediately. Rebecca slumped down in her chair, unsatisfied with the current predicament. Joey was losing and he was losing pretty badly.

"Guys, let's just have faith in Joey," Yugi finally spoke, his eyes never having left the duel, "I'm sure he can turn this game around!" Despite the odds, Joey could overcome anything. He had done it before.

"That's right! Come on, Joey, you can do it!" Tea chanted. Joey, however, remained fixated on the situation. He was in pretty dire circumstances but he had been through worse. This was finally an opportunity to prove that he didn't have to rely on luck to win his matches.

"That means you lose two thousand lifepoints, Joseph, and might I say your chip stack is looking might small," Ryan boasted as Joey's lifepoints dropped to eight hundred and fifty. Joey grimaced as he gazed at his hand and then back at his deck. He knew he was still in this fight but he had to draw the right card. If ever there was a time he needed to believe in the heart of the cards, it was now. A game can always change based on the draw of one card and he needed that to be his next card. Taking a deep breath, he reached for his deck as sweat rolled off of his cheeks. The ever growing roar of the crowd seemed to fade out to eerie silence as his fingers touched the top of his deck. He grasped the top card and tore it out of his deck, waiting just a moment before opening his eyes to see what he drew. A slick smile spread across his face.

"Jackpot!" he bellowed as he held the card in front of him, "Time for me to knock you off of your pedestal and it all starts with this!" Joey held that card up in front of him. This one card would change the flow of the entire game. His "chip stack" may have been low but he still had enough to play and that was all that mattered. This game was just getting started.


	6. Lady Luck's Favorite

"Time for me to turn my luck around!" Joey cried as he shuffled cards among his hand, "It starts with one card facedown. Then, I activate Card of Sanctity, which lets us both draw until we each hold six cards in our hand!" Joey tore the cards from his deck eagerly as he stared down his opponent. Ryan raised his brow as he calmly drew the cards from his deck. There was no way his opponent could turn things around. Joey only had eight hundred and fifty lifepoints left and Ryan still had two thousand. Joey, however, remained unfazed as he continued his move.

"Next, I'll play Monster Reborn to bring back my Time Wizard" Joey continued as his magical wizard reappeared in an impressive display of light. Ryan shook his head softly.

"Son, every gambler knows that at a certain point you have to stop pulling the handle," Ryan spoke mockingly as he crossed his arm. If Joey wanted to continue making this game a game of chance, Ryan was glad to tear him apart at it.

"Good thing I'm not using his special ability," Joey replied confidently as he pulled another card out of his hand, "Now I play Polymerization! To fuse my Time Wizard with my Baby Dragon!" Ryan gasped as suddenly a rather cartoonish dragon materialized on the field. The two creatures than jumped up into a vortex, combining together to form an ancient beast. Ryan gritted his teeth. This wasn't what he need right now. With his Time Wizard on the field, he would be spared absolute destruction but only barely. Five hundred attack points, however, wouldn't cut it and Ryan had no spell or traps on the field to defend his monster.

"Introducing!" Joey boasted as his large dragon let out a ferocious roar that rocked the stadium, "Thousand Dragon!" Joey stared in awe of his monster with a huge smile plastered on his face. This baby had all grown up and was about to school this lucky fiend. Joey knew the best way to christen his new beast.

"Now I'll attack your Time Wizard with my dragon!" Joey announced as his dragon drew in a gargantuan breath before letting loose an incredible flurry of flame from its nostrils. Ryan grimaced as he covered his face against the blast, his monster helplessly shattered against its overwhelming force. Ryan's lifepoints plummeted to one hundred. Ryan scowled as he recovered from the blow. How could this nobody have pushed him this far? He was the best gambler on the face of the earth and if anyone was going to beat the house it was him.

"Way to show that punk who is boss, Joey!" Tristan roared triumphantly at his friend. Joey looked up at his buddy, giving a huge grin and a thumbs. It was true. It had been a very impressive play that almost won the duel entirely.

"Yeah! Your skill beats his luck any day!" Tea added with a grin from ear to ear, "Now finish this guy!" Joey chuckled to himself, incredibly pleased with his move. His opponent was close to being out for the count. He now held the driver's seat of the duel and the lead. This was his game now.

"I'd pay attention to me if I were you, boy," Ryan spat viciously as he drew his next card, "Because I summon Snipe Hunter in Defense Mode!" His new beast rushed the field with only fifteen hundred attack points and six hundred defense points, staring down Joey's vicious dragon. Joey tilted his head before scowling. Why would Ryan summon a creature that weak to stand up against his dragon? There had to be more to his move.

"Next I'll activate his special ability," Ryan continued as he discarded one card from his hand, "First, I send one card to the graveyard and select a monster on your field. After that, I roll a die and as long as it doesn't land on a one or a six, your monster is destroyed. Seeing as I only have on choice, I select your Thousand Dragon!"

"No!" Joey cried as the virtual die began its dance across the floor. He hadn't had the best of luck in this duel when it came to dice rolls and coin tosses. Knowing his rotten luck at the moment, he could kiss his dragon good-bye. The die bounced across the floor before finally settling on a one. Joey didn't celebrate, however, and instead steeled himself for what he knew would happen next. This guy always had a card to repeat these things.

"Such a shame, I guess I'll just have to use Dice Re-Roll!" Ryan announced as the card rose from the ground and spat out a new die which knocked the other one from existence. It rolled across the floor and Joey let out a sigh a frustration. Finally, the die landed on a two.

"One of these days, your luck is gonna run out pal!" Joey groaned as his Thousand Dragon exploded, leaving him defenseless. It was at that moment that Joey stopped and began to absorb the cards on the field. A huge smile spread across his face as a hearty laugh erupted from his lungs. Everyone, including Ryan, looked at him very confused. The stadium, for but a brief moment, fell silent.

"He's finally lost it!" Tristan groaned as he watched his friend grab his stomach in laughter.

"You know you're going to run out of luck too!" Joey continued through gasps of air, "That's why you played your monster in defense mode! Had you played it in attack mode, the outcome of the duel would have hung on that dice roll. You were too scared to go all in!"

"Boy, you are starting to annoy me," Ryan spat back flushed as he pulled another card from his hand and slammed it on the pad in front of him, "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn!"

"You're just jealous of my naturally charm, ya' big fake!" Joey replied as he drew another card, "I summon Axe Raider in attack mode an-"

"Not so fast!" Ryan interrupted as he flipped a card on the duel pad, causing his card to rise from the ground, "You've triggered my Trap Hole! Now, what was that about being fake, Joseph?!" Joey took a step back as his beast again shattered from the game, leaving him defenseless yet again. Joey scowled as he pulled a new card from his hand.

"Lucky move," Joey grumbled as he slapped another card in his disk which hovered in front of him. This one card was his only defense. Ryan drew his next card, calculating his next move. His opponent had no monsters on the field and one direct attack from his Snipe Hunter would win him this round. Still, Joey's two facedown cards could be very problematic. Ryan didn't have any cards that could deal with it at the moment which meant that if it was a trap it could backfire and cost him the duel. Then again, it could just be a bluff.

"Havin' issues makin' your move?" Joey taunted, "Don't tell me you're worried about my facedown cards!" This cause rage to shoot through Ryan. How dare that imbecile taunt a gentleman of his caliber? This Joseph Wheeler needed to be put in his place.

"I'm calling your bluff, son!" Ryan roared, "I switch my Snipe Hunter into attack mode and attack you directly! His beast stood from his card, causing it to vanish from beneath him, as it sprang into action and charged Joey. The Snipe Hunter then took aim, blasting a bright ray of light towards Joey. Joey smirked as the light closed the distance.

"Then, I activate Scapegoat!" Joey cried as his card levitated from the ground and in a beam of light spat out four goats. One was instantly incinerated by the previous blast. Ryan let out howl of laughter.

"That?" Ryan laughed, "That was your big card?!"

"Hey, it kept me in the game!" Joey cried back as he drew another card and growled to himself upon reading it, "Next, I'll summon my Haybusa Knight in defense mode and that's all for now!"

"Seems like an incredibly desperate move, boy!" Ryan howled as he tore his next card from his deck, "Let me show you how men play the game!" Ryan scanned his hand with an evil grin as he pulled two cards and planted them on the duel pad in front of him. The two cards came into existence in bright flashed on light. One was a facedown spell and the other was a monster dressed similarly to Ryan himself.

"I set one card facedown and summon my Gambler of Legend!" Ryan announced as his sharply dressed monster knelt on his card with arms crossed. Ryan smirked as he looked across the field at his opponent. His Gambler of Legend and Second Toss combo really put the odds in his favor. That boy would regret every doubting his abilities and relationship was Lady Luck. If Lady Luck had a son, it would surely have been Ryan.

"My Gambler of Legend has various effects depending on the outcome of three coin tosses," Ryan spoke viciously, "How about we take them for a test drive?" His Gambler stood from his card as an extraordinarily large coin materialized over his head. Joey grimaced as he watched the display. He wasn't sure what was going on but he was sure that he wouldn't like it. The coin began to spin through the air as if toss before landing with a resounding metallic thud on the ground in the center of the arena. It landed on heads.

"Fantastic," Ryan mumbled as the coin shot back up and flew through the air before landing on another heads. Joey watched as the coin again was spat up into the air, grimacing as it fell towards the ground. He had no idea what was coming but it wasn't going to be good. The coin landed on tails.

"Two heads!" Ryan cried out as he extended his arm, "That means, you lose a random card from your hand!" Joey gasped as one of his precious cards was zapped from him and forced in the graveyard.

"No, not that card!" Joey cried as the card finally came to rest in his graveyard. Joey scowled at his opponent with sweat dripping down his cheek. His heart pounded in his chest as he anxiously awaited for the completion of his opponent's move. He was going all out to win and his opponent wasn't making it any easier for him.

"I'm afraid it gets worse for you, boy," Ryan continued as he switched his Snipe Hunter into attack mode, "Snipe Hunter, destroyed his Knight!" His creature again took aim, obliterating Joey's monster. Joey groaned, covering his face with his duel disk, as another of his creatures fell to his opponent's fire power. That Snipe Hunter was really starting to annoy Joey.

"Alright, it's my move now!" Joey began as he pulled another card and, with a passing glance, slapped it on his desk, "I summon Marauding Captain in Attack Mode!" Joey gritted his teeth as his warrior sprang from its card.

"This allows me to special summon Panther Warrior!" Joey continued as he stared at the field and the cards in play. With two thousand attack points, an attack from his Panther Warrior would win him the duel. Ryan only had one hundred lifepoints left and his monster only had fifteen hundred attack points. The only downside was that Joey had to sacrifice a scapegoat to attack which would weaken his defense. That could be very bad if Ryan had something hidden up his sleeve. Still, Joey had to make a move.

"I'll sacrifice a scapegoat so I can attack your Snipe Hunter with my Panther Warrior!" Joey announced as his goat transformed into pure energy as was sucked in his large, beastly warrior. Panther Warrior then let out a huge battle cry as it began to charge forward.

"Not so fast, I activate Skull Dice!" Ryan interjected as his card rose from the ground and spat out a large red die, "Now your monster loses one hundred attacks for ea-"

"I know what the card does!" Joey scowled as he tapped a button on his duel disk, "Because I've got one, too!" Joey's own Skull Dice rose from the ground and spat out a corresponding die. That two die bounced across the floor under the anxious eyes of their masters. Ryan couldn't help but smirk.

"Don't you learn anything, boy?" Ryan mocked as he continued to watch the dice dance across the duel field. Joey clenched his fist as the dice continued to roll. He had to win this roll, he just had to. Joey's friends watched nervously as the two dice traveled through the air. Tea, unable to handle the constant pressure of chance, covered her eyes while Tristan just sat their scowling. Rebecca typed away busily at her computer, trying to compute the actual odds faced by the two duelists. Yugi and Mokuba, however, remained silent and still and could have been considered cold were it not for the racing of their beating hearts. Finally, the dice landed. Ryan had rolled a six and Joey had rolled a one. Joey's shoulders slumped as he stared blankly at the dice. He firmly believed that Ryan had to be cheating at this point. Snipe Hunter's and Panther Warrior's attack points both fell to fourteen hundred and both creatures were destroyed in a huge blast that rocked the stadium.

"You cheat!" Joey cried desperately and full of anger, "How did you do it?"

"Boy," Ryan grumbled irritated, rage building up from inside, "You better st-"

"Whatever! I'll still beat you!" Joey roared as his Marauding Captain drew its swords and with one mighty slash split Ryan's Dice Jar in two. Rage and frustration bubble underneath Joey's skin. There was no way someone could be this lucky, absolutely no way.

"Don't let your anger get the best of your, Joey," a confident voice broke through the wall of hate that deafened Joey's senses. Confused, Joey's eyes began to dart around the stadium before finally finding the source. It was Yugi.

"Think about it, Joey," Yugi continued, "All of his cards have been designed to turn all his failures into victories!"

"Hey," Joey muttered as he unclenched his fists slightly, "You're right! There were plenty of those coin tosses and dice rolls that I won! He just used his cards to try again!"

"That's right," Yugi added, "Don't let it get to you, Joey. You can beat this guy because you don't rely solely on luck! You rely on the heart of the cards!" Joey took a deep breath, holding it in for a few moments as he felt his rage and frustration melting away. Yugi was right. He was letting every little setback weigh him down and that was no way for a duelist to play the game. His ego was bruised because he was being beat with a lot of cards that he himself had used in the past. That was wrong. Joey didn't duel for pride. He dueled for his love of the game and for his friends. Right now, his best friend was counting on him. So it didn't matter how many coin tosses or dice rolls he lost because he was still going to win.

"Thanks Yuge," Joey replied warmly before turning his attention back to his opponent. Now the game could really start.

"Hey pal," Joey began, "I'm not going to let you get in my head anymore and do you know why? Because I don't duel with luck…I duel with a belief in the heart of the cards!"

"Heart of the cards?" Ryan spat back out disbelief as he pulled another card from his deck, "You know you're a few cards short of a deck right? This is a card game, boy, it is all about luck of the draw," Ryan pulled another card from his hand and slid it on the duel pad confidently.

"Speaking of luck, I play Cup of Ace!" Ryan continued, "I'm sure you recognize this card from earlier, son," Another giant coin materialized and was flung into the air. This time, however, Joey didn't watch it with fear but with an eerie calm. The look of confidence on his face was enough to send a chill down Ryan's back. Why was he so confident? The coin fell to the ground.

"Tails?!" Ryan growled, "It doesn't matter, I activate Second Coin Toss!"

"You know, you can only activate that once a turn, right?" Joey spoke confidently as he crossed his arms and waited for the coin to hit the ground.

"Of course, boy, it is my card," Ryan began before confusion set in, "Why?" The coin fell to the ground again.

"Tails again?!" Ryan cried out as the coin vanished from existence. Joey's grin widened as he reached up towards his duel disk.

"That's right, meaning I can draw two cards!" Joey announced as he pulled two cards from his deck. His smile widened as he analyzed the two cards. He had drawn Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Premature Burial. His deck had given him exactly what he needed. He had options again.

"It doesn't matter boy, because I use my Gambler of Legends special effect!" Ryan spat back as the card reappeared. The coin then launched into the air, hanging for but a moment before landing on heads. Joey continued to stare at his opponent confidently.

"You sure you feel confident about doing that without your back-up card," Joey taunted as the coin landed on heads yet again.

"I'm sure!" Ryan replied as his coin landed on tails, much to Ryan's dismay, "No! Oh well, you still lose a card from your hand!" Joey watched as another card faded from his hand but remained eerily cool.

"Yeah, but the monsters on my field are safe and it's my turn!" Joey rebutted confidently as he pulled another card from his deck. His eyes again scanned the field. If he was going to win this duel, he needed each card play to pull off. Luckily, his deck had given more than one route to victory. However, Ryan's luck based deck was dangerous. Joey resolved himself to building up his defenses before going on the offensive again. His earlier attacks had been far too rash and influence by his frustration. They had nearly cost him the duel already.

"First, I switch my Marauding Captain to defense mode!" Joey began as he slapped cards onto his duel disk, "Then, I'll summon another Marauding Captain in defense mode which allows me to summon my Little Winguard in defense mode. Lastly, I'll place one card facedown and its back to you!"

"Very well," Ryan stated as he pulled his next card from his deck, "I'll place one card facedown before activating my Gambler of Legend's special ability!" Yet again, Joey found himself staring down the virtual toss. After a few tosses, Ryan was disappointed to see that he had only gotten one heads. Joey just smirked in response.

"It doesn't matter as long as my Second Coin Toss is in play!" Ryan declared as the coin appeared once again and flew through the air. It landed with a resounding thud in the middle of the stadium on heads. Joey once again felt the sweat begin flow down the back of his neck as the coin flipped again. This time, however, it would land on tails. Ryan and Joey both gritted their teeth as they watch the coin take flight for the last time before finally landing. Tails again.

"No!" Ryan cried in disbelief as he finally lost at the gambling table, "Now my Gambler of Legend is automatically destroyed!"

"That's what happens when you rely on luck!" Joey cried, "Eventually, you lose!" Ryan scowled at his opponent as he pulled a new card from his hand.

"Oh really, boy? You call this luck?" he screamed as he slapped his next card onto the table, "I activate Monster Reborn and I think I'll use it to resurrect your dragon!" Joey's heart fell to his knees.

"No! Not my Thousand Dragon?" he shouted as his graveyard began to glow. In a colorful display of bright light, Thousdand Dragon was sucked from his graveyard and revived on the field. It towered over Joey's monsters who maintained their defensive poster. Joey was glad that all of his beasts were in defense mode but that wouldn't mean anything if he couldn't get his Red-Eyes Black Dragon onto the field.

"Now, I'll destroy your Marauding Captain!" Ryan announced as the dragon drew in a huge breath before unleashing a furry of fire onto Joey's warrior. With a groan, it shattered from existence. The crowd roared as it watched the gladiatorial display before them, feeding off of every play. In the background, Joey could hear the cry of support from his friends and he knew what he had to do.

"Luckily, I don't lose any life points!" Joey spat back as he pulled his next card from his deck, "I'll sacrifice my other Marauding Captain and my Little-Winguard to summon my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" His two monsters dissipated into energy, energy that began to form the dreaded dark dragon that he had become known for in the dueling world. His new beast let out a mighty screech as it took the field and its screech bolstered Joey's resolve. With two thousand four hundred attack points, it could stand against the Thousand Dragon. All of this was halted though, when the sound of Ryan's vicious laughter invaded his ear.

"I reveal my trap card, Trap Hole!" Ryan announced as his card rose from the field.

"No!" Joey cried, his heart sinking in his chest.

"That's right, boy, whenever you summon a monster with more than one thousand attack points I can activate this card and destroy it!" Ryan boasted as Joey's mighty dragon vanish from the field. Joey gritted his teeth with a mighty resolve.

"Doesn't matter, I play my Premature Burial spell to bring him back!" Joey roared as he slapped the card into his duel disk, "I pay eight hundred life points to special summon my Red-Eyes!" Joey looked up in triumph as his large beast rejoined the field.

"I've got a little something for that too, Solemn Judgement," Ryan howled, "As long as I give up half of my life points, I can negate your little spell and your dragon goes back to your graveyard!" Joey watched in horror as his dragon vanished for the second time.

"No way! He just destroyed Joey's best card twice in a single turn!" Tristan cried in disbelief from the stadium. Yugi watched silently from the stands as his best friend struggled in this duel. He couldn't deny that this was an incredibly close match. This gambler had turned some of Joey's unique strategies against him and manipulated the odds to nearly win the duel. However, he couldn't deny Joey's skill and effort in turning the duel around multiple times. It was a very rare thing for both opponents to be knocked down to a mere fifty life points. At this point in the game, the slightest error could cost one the match. This would require some very precise playing but it was still anyone's game. This is what separated the amateur duelists from the professionals. Joey looked utterly dejected as he slid another card into his duel disk.

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," he muttered. He had to find a way out of this. Both of them only had fifty life points left. It wouldn't take much to win but it wouldn't take much to lose either. He had one token left and if his opponent could somehow summon a monster, it would be game over. Joey glanced down at his freshly played trap card. If he could somehow get his Red-Eyes back onto the field, this duel would go down to one last dice roll with his Skull Dice card.

"Sounds good," Ryan smirked as he merely pulled a new card and added it to his hand, "Now, Thousand Dragon destroy his last Scapegoat token. Thousand Dragon again withdrew a mighty breath before unleashing it on the defenseless beast. Joey groaned as he shielded himself against the intense heat and within moments his last defense was gone. Still, there was hope. The Gambler had failed to summon a monster. It would all come down to this last card. Joey's hand hovered over his deck as he drew in a deep breath and drew, his eyes slammed shut.

"Yeah baby!" Joey cried as he held his new card triumphantly, "I activate Monster Reborn! So give a warm welcome back to my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" In blinding flash of light, Joey's creature of darkness let out a new screech of life as Ryan scowled.

"How many times do I have to destroy the dragon before you learn, boy!" Ryan spat viciously.

"I'm a slow learner," Joey mocked with passion as he thrust his fist toward his opponent, "Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack Thousand Dragon with Inferno Fire Blast!" Joey's mighty beast let out a screech as a ball of flame began to grow within its mouth. Ryan took one step back in confusion, a drop of sweat running down his back.

"But our monsters are equal in strength, they'll both be destroyed!" Ryan cried. Joey smirked as he tapped a button on his duel disk, revealing his trap.

"Not if I play my Skull Dice!" Joey announced as his trap spat out yet another red die, "With only fifty life points left, it doesn't matter if I roll the lowest number. It'll still be enough to wipe you out, pal!" Tristan watched, his nerves racked as his eyes glued to the die. He couldn't believe that Joey was going to rely on a dice roll after the way this duel had progressed. However, he couldn't deny that Joey finally seemed to have an advantage. Joey's die finally came to a stop, landing on a two.

"Yeah!" Joey roared triumphantly, "That means your dragon loses two hundred attack points!" Ryan watched as his dragon's attack points feel to two thousand two hundred and Red-Eyes unleashed its furry upon his beast.

"Not so fast," Ryan interjected as he flipped his own card on the table, "I've got a Skull Dice too. Looks like we'll have one more gamble!" Ryan's eyes locked to the red die that spat from his card and the audience became deathly quiet. The die struck the ground intensely, sending out a resounding crack as it continued its dance across the field. Not a breath was heard while it bounced. Finally, it landed. A one. The Gambler had lost.

"Yeah!" Joey roared as his dragon's attack points only fell to two thousand three hundred. Ryan let out a howl of fear as the blast struck his own dragon, resulting in an enormous explosion. Everyone jumped from their seats as they waited for the smoke to clear. When it did, the score was clear. Joey still had his fifty life points but Ryan's had dropped to zero. The day was his. The crowd roared with excitement as Ryan bowed his head in defeat. Joey jumped with joy as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Way to go, Joey!" Tea cried from the sidelines as all of Yugi's friends began to celebrate. Joey looked up, making eye contact with Yugi, and gave a warm smile. Yugi returned the gesture while nodding and giving his friends a reassuring thumbs up. There would likely be dangers in the day ahead but with good friends standing beside him, victory was assured.

"Well," Ryan's voice spoke through the noise as he walked casually across the field, "It looks like you claim this pot, but not every hand Is the same, boy!"

"Eh? Thanks?" Joey replied quizzically as he extended his hand to shake Ryan's. Ryan gripped it firmly.

"You're welcome and good luck with the tournament," Ryan finished as he turned and proceeded to exit the stadium and allow his opponent to enjoy his time in the spotlight. Some games you win and some games you lose. All that matters is that you had a good time playing. Never fret your loses because the next time you decide to play you might just land the jackpot.


End file.
